Crystals and Jewels

It had to come, we were enjoying what the journalists love to call Spring. It was mearly a lull in the stormy,rain lashed weather pattern we have been suffering for a month or more. Any sign of dry weather and that golden orb in the sky in early february will always be misconceived as an early Spring by the ever hopeful newsreaders. I understand their enthusiasm after a period of telling us about flooding and frozen stretches but it really wasn't Spring but a slight hesitation before the real sharp end of winter kicked in.

After seeing the first shoots of early peas and late broad beans popping thier vibrant green heads through the soil, I was concerned that the sudden and sharp frosts we had were going to knock the progress back again but I can happily report that all the new shoots are still hurrying along nicely despite the efforts of the Ice Queen.Whilst the grass on the surrounding paths may crunch under foot, the tiny leaves stand clear of the white coated soil very proudly and are showing evidence of growth too, not just survival.

In the garden, signs of life were showing everywhere . Snowdrops have had their best already and the Primroses are starting to take over, resplendent i

n blues, red and flame oranges but the real primrose yellows will come later. The early Irises are peaking through the long grass like stems and competing with the Schytzostylis flowers for the title of 'Most Cute Flower' this season, although in my own garden, the Kaffir Lily has not stopped flowering right through all the bad weather threw at us.