Signs of spring - hazel flowers

Hazel bushes are at their most beautiful at the moment, cloaked in golden catkins

 

 

The spreading branches contrast with the vertically hanging catkins.

The catkins are the male flowers producing clouds of golden pollen.  When pollen lands on female flowers, the hazel nuts begin to grow.  If you look carefully you can see the tiny red stars which are the female flowers, growing tight against the twig.

 

 

 And on some bushes you can still see traces of last year's nuts