Spring

Tony asked me a little while ago whether I favour the meteorological start to spring (1st March) or the astronomical one (21st March, on the equinox).  I don't really have a preference, because I tend to listen to what Nature is saying - and Nature doesn't appear to consult a calendar. 

I think spring has probably sprung in our garden - although there is, of course, nothing to say that winter won't mount a vigorous counter attack between now and summer!

Small narcissus coming up in a tub by the back door

No flowers yet on the cyclamens - but it won't be long

Narcissus and fritillaries coming up along the back path

Crocuses and hellebores in flower

Crocuses amid the leaves from last autumn

The washing actually dried in the warm spring sunshine and gentle breeze

Snowdrops along the fence to the orchard

We've almost finished the Brussels sprouts ...

... but the purple sprouting broccoli is beginning to flower

Pretty hellebores

We have just about finished the peas from last summer, and I have just roasted and turned into sauce the last of the tomatoes.  We still have lots of onions, and a mountain of fruit in the freezers (mostly gooseberries and rhubarb). We finished the potatoes a couple of weeks ago - and have had to buy back up supplies from the dairy farm in Old Tupton. On the other hand, we have also bought the first of the seed potatoes and some more onion sets from the garden centre in Wilton. We should probably get more, but I'll get them from Thompson and Morgan I think.

And spring might well have sprung. The sun might well have some warmth in it. I might have set aside (for now) the winter woollies. But it is still ONLY FEBRUARY and much too early to start planting!!!  (Although - I am a bit tempted to try an early sowing of carrots in a box, and putting them in the greenhouse to see what happens)