Full of the Joys of Spring...

The sun is shining and the temperature in my sheltered south facing garden is in the low 60's and remember  - this is the UK in March we're talking about here! Yesterday I was in fleece and socks, today it's shirt and deck shoes and do you know what...it feels great.

British summer time starts in the UK this weekend so I ventured out with my first cup of coffee this morning to see whether the garden was aware of this and boy, is it ever. All sorts of life burgeoning forth to meet the sun. To be fair it's probably been doing it for a while now but on a day like this the blinkers fall from the eyes as you start to feel the weight of winter fall away.

Yellow flowers always herald spring for me and this one is a stunning specimen that fairly drips these big, bright yellow trumpet flowers. I can never remember the species name but it's appropriately called "Sun King' and it's a native of Chile. 

The Camellias are past their best now but this one is enjoying a little early morning sun warming its petals.

"Choysia Ternata' or Mexican Orange Blossom is this colour all year round but with the low sun on it's fresh young lleaves it's just so gloriously vibrant.

A tiny Alpine Strawberry in a sheltered pot makes a start on the growth that will lead to the most delicious little fruits ever!

Blue is another favourite spring colour and these Grape Hyacinths add a splash long before the English Bluebells that fill the woods around the house have woken up.

Acid green Spurge with an early morning visitor - hope it's a friendly one!

And finally, the new growth of 'Photinia Red Robin' is a fiery red normally more prevalent in high summer but in my garden it permanently has new growth and is always making a bid to take control but I tolerate this behaviour because the colour is so glorious.

How can you fail to be full of the joys of spring with this in your own back yard?

I hope the sun is shining on you too.

Lesley