Signs of Life!

First Snowdrops

Garrya Elliptica

Garden Blogger's been a bit quiet lately owing to a fairly major indoor project!  That hasn't stopped her from gardening and keeping up with seasonal work, it's meant that she hasn't had time to write about them.

Hellebore

Despite the many frosty mornings we've had recently, things are very definitely on the move.  Plants are awakening from the winter coma and the first Snowdrops are appearing - HURRAH! The Hellebores are coming into flower and even the odd Primrose.  How interesting that the differing plant cell structures can survive these icy temperatures.  The Hellebores are all bent down and, as the temperature rises, they too rise up - with the sun!  The Agarves (which over-winter in the greenhouse) are as tough as old boots to handle with their deadly spikes but in frosty temperatures just dissolve to mush.  Something as innocent and gentle as a Snowdrop is by far the tougher!  I couldn't resist buying 3 pots of Aconites and popping them in by the telephone kiosk.  We have never had many of them in this garden so I'm hoping they'll multiply.  The winter Jasmine is flowering and the tassles on the Garrya Elliptica are quite stupendous (considering all the horrors it suffered in its earlier life!)  It's all very heartening spotting these these winter breakthroughs and reminds us that we have much much more to which we can look forward!