On a happy note, starts singing in verdant places (6)
I believe the answer is:
glades
'singing in verdant places' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both locations as well as being plural nouns.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?
'on a happy note starts' is the wordplay.
'on' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'a happy' becomes 'glad' (I've seen this before).
'note' becomes 'e' (musical note).
'starts' becomes 's' (this could be a standard abbreviation of which I'm unaware).
'glad' put next to 'e' is 'glade'.
'glade'+'s'='GLADES'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for glades that I've seen before include "Open spaces in forests" , "You can see the wood for the trees when you get into these" , "Clear tracts in the middle of woods" , "Open spaces in woods" , "Clear tracts in the middles of woods" .)