Definite signs of Spring!

Today is a bit brighter, though we can't actually see the sun, so I decided to have a really good hunt round the garden to see if Spring had touched us yet!



I was thrilled to find two tiny snowdrops, and some more possibly under the hedge. I was afraid that they had been dug up, or eaten, by cats, squirrels, slugs or humans by mistake (dug up, not eaten!) I shall be keeping my eye on those!




The daffodils are coming up all over the place, but this one has a tiny bud! This clump always flowers ages before any other daffodils, which is quite cheerful in the dark days of February. When we bought this house, we inherited loads of daffodils all down the end, and in what passed for grass then. There were three old apple trees there, and they had left the garden wild, so the daffodils looked lovely. We had to have two of the apple trees out, one was diseased, and the other a spindly thing just taking the light off the pond we built. I hated having the trees down, but they really had to go, we were developing a woodland area with ferns and things that liked shade.



However, like all things, it changed, although the ferns are florishing vigourously, and I found one little frond that had just started to grow. I love seeing the fronds grow toaller and start to uncurl.




The buds on the Golden Elder are beginning to swell, but they will have to be pruned back very soon. It grows extremely fast, from the pruned branches, with beautiful golden leaves. The buds grow into funny-looking red tufts first.



Shoots from the geranium are coming through - they are such a gorgeous pink. It is the geranium that has bright pink flowers with a black middle, can't remember the name, but it is very colourful later in the summer.




And the reliable, tough sedum is showing its baby leaves. They look lace-like with the water drops on them, but they will soon grow into bigger leaves that always hold rain drops in the centre. The flowers are an autumn treat that usually attract loads of butterflies, but last year we had hardly any. I don't know where they went to, as there were reports of lots in other parts of the country.

Maybe it was something we said!!

But I was pleased to find Spring was coming, even if slowly, I think we all need a bit of encouragement and cheer this time of the year. Winter ought t be over, but we know that February and March can bring unpleasant surprises!

But then, life is like that, I find. Think you are on a nice even track, and something suddenly turns it all round, and its never the same again! But the only way to deal with that is to look forward, not back with useless regrets. Its taken me a long time to realise that!