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WINTER AND SPRING, AND SUMMER!

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Lilac buds above.

But a little while a go

All the ground was white with snow

Trees and shrubs were dry and bare

Not a sign of life was there.

Now the buds and leaves are seen

Now the fields are fresh and green

Pretty birds are on the wing

With a merry song they sing.

There's new life in everything

How I love the pleasant Spring!

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Today, clocks in the UK move forward an hour.

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Which means one hours less sleep, but longer days and more time in the garden. I know which I'd rather have!

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SUNLIGHT AND SHADOWS

It's been a sunshiny and shadowy kind of morning in my garden.

I can only think of one benefit of inheriting 1970's style concrete slabs, and that is the great shadows that cast upon them in sunlight.

Achillea seadhead above.



After upturning and brushing out the wooden planters in readiness for the new season ahead, this poor Housespider's life has now literally been turned upside-down.

I do hope it doesn't try to seek refuge indoors!



A white feather blows gently along in the breeze, but manages to sit still just for a second, long enough for me to take a snap.



A shadow of Ornamental Sedge in high contrast.

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A WINTER STAR PERFORMER

The admirable Clematis Cirrhosa.

From November to April the Winter Clematis flowers flat-out, the month of March being no exception.

I have five well-established plants trailing over a wooden structure which separates the utility area from the main garden, three being var. Balearica, Wisley Cream and Freckles!

The South East has seen a hard winter this year, and the coldest on record for three decades. I am seeing a show of flowers on the Clematis more spectacular than ever.

Great for Bumblebees! The few who dare to 'brave it' in the coldest and darkest of months, can be seen buzzing around Clematis Cirrhosa in search of nectar.

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photo - The RSPB

ROBINS AND A MYSTERY SOLVED

If you've popped over to Flighty's blog lately you would have met the friendly pair of Robins who share his plot. Flighty has taken some great photos of his two.

As like mine, most gardens will have a resident Robin, but however hard I try, he/she just keeps giving me the runaround. I only have to pick up the camera and it's off!

I decided to buy a tub of mealworms, to encourage him/her to come just that little bit closer. So much for my efforts with these tasty treats, it's not the Robin who is helping itself to my moreish mealworms?



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The thieves have been caught red-handed. The evidence, or lack of, is there to be seen, and Re it was no ferret!
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Just for fun, would you like to guess who/what has been treating itself to these wriggly wrigglers? Entries from overseas welcome too.

The first comment to guess whodunnit correctly, will receive a set of nine pretty floral notecards, which include the ones pictured above.

Lovely, creative images to give inspiration for the gardening year ahead.

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... Moments from Suburbia thought she was coming over to my blog to see something nice, and all she got for her trouble was mealworms!

I'm nice most of the time!

These purple crocuses are just for you.

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MEALWORMS

Something's taking the mealworms, and I'm not sure it's the Robin?

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CROCUSES

A kind voice calls, 'come little ones', 'tis time to wake from sleeping
And out of bed without a word, the drowsy folk come creeping
And soon above the chilly earth, their tiny heads are peeping.

They bravely face the wind of March, its bite and bluster scorning
Like little soldiers, till oh joy, with scarce a word of warning
The crocuses slip off their caps, and give us gay good morning.

Anna M Platt

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MAKING WILDFLOWER MEADOWS

I buy lots of second-hand gardening books.

Making Wildflower Meadows by Pam Lewis, who gardens at Sticky Wicket in Dorset, just happens to be the latest, and found in a Scope charity shop for a £1.

I know I shall enjoy turning over the pages of information, photos and illustrations.

I recommend you go see the beautiful meadow gardens at Great Dixter in East Sussex, the home of the late (and in my eyes great) Christopher Lloyd.

One day I shall turn a little patch of my garden over to meadow.

Now that's a lovely thought!

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BLUE

On a cold morning, in the warmth of the sun, branches in my garden took on a silvery glow.



Hawthorn.



Hazel.



Rose-hips.



Amelanchier.



A brisk North-Easterly wind.

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HYACINTHS

Doesn't everyone love the smell of a hyacinth? I do, and my favourites are of the blue variety.



Back in September, after buying a few plants from a catalogue, I acquired a free bag of bulbs, and back in October I placed three on the top of old jam-jars, filled almost to the rim with water.

From this ...



... to this.

I lost one to rot, but the remaining two are now in flower, and smell bloomin' lovely.

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SNOWDROPS

I'd like to think, that long ago,
There fell to earth, some flakes of snow
Which loved this cold, grey world of ours
So much, they stayed as snowdrop flowers.

Mary Vivian

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