A carpet of purple and yellow on Green Gate Common

Across the road from the more frequented Ducketts Common is the small green space of Green Gate Common.

On account of its island status between two busy roads and the only reason many people find themselves there is to catch a bus, its a quiet space.

For this reason, there's often a lots of plant life in the grass there which doesn't get trampled down. For the nature watcher and dandelion lover, its a place to slow down and take a look around.

This week, on the way to the bus stop, we were delighted to be confronted with a carpet of dog violets and dandelions shining in the Spring sunshine.

Hiding out in this little oasis were a number of freshly emergent ladybirds, as red as the passing buses.