Spring is coming!

Just think the swifts and swallows on on their way back - God speed to them

Daffodils all up in big clumps, crocus [croci?] all out too and also primroses.
Did some pruning today, and it's so mild, didn't need jacket.

Has anyone esle got frogspawn in their pond yet?

No sign of frogspawn yet here in North Yorkshire.

Did have thatbags but next door's cat ate it today.

there's been frogspawn in the pond for about 3-4 weeks now. I have just deadheaded my first lot of daffs - very early ones of course and the snowdrops are gone to seed so we are well on the way

I have piles of frogspawn. One daff out and a couple of primroses.

First lot appeared last week.

I remember last year so much frogspawn was under ice. So a milder spring is on it's way perhaps.

Another wonderful skein of storks flew over our house today. They rode the current for a while, chattering away, then off they went into their V - and stopped calling.

Had a giggle about whether they were arguing about shall we turn left or right or keep straight on!

Bluebell shoots poking through! Yay! About twenty crocuses and masses of snowdrops, including single ones dotted about randomly where they have seeded themselves from the established ones. Are snowdrops insect pollinated?

Wind I think?

Saw my first snowdrops today (first this year) I've always thought that their bulbs spread underground but I don't know. A couple of houses down the road has a front garden almost full of bluebells well up and fighting them for space are masses of violets in full bloom, absolutely beautiful.

Snowdrops are insect pollinated but odd bulbs can be dropped by birds so that's how they pop up in unexpected places. They mostly spread by bulb division.

As I was driving to the hardware shop I saw a wasp fly by.

If I manage to get gardening this week i will check for frogspawn. Some garden visitors last week said they had heard frogs calling.

The frogs' evening chatter and a morning hunting heron are what alert us to frog spawning time.

Apart from knowing from experience that MrB's birthday (17/2) has often been the day when we've first seen frogspawn in our garden pond, both here in Argyll and in Oxfordshire.

Large clumps of daffodils in full bloom here on the Hampshire coast - really heartwarming to see after all the dull grey and wet days. Blossom out on the prunus and hellebores still going strong and the pots of tulips are all well up. Hurrah! {smile]

Clumps of snowdrops now being transplanted 'in the green'. It's quite a long job as there are so many of them. Dwarf daffs are in bloom and the large ones are budding up nicely. Crocuses, aconites, cyclamen and primulas also providing some welcome colour.

The borders are still very wet though so I'm staying off them for a while longer.

Sun's out so I'm sure I can find something to do this afternoon.

My frogs spawned in mid-February last year and got caught out by the weather. They spawned again late March. None yet this year, but I've been out in the car this afternoon and all the local cock pheasants appear to have developed suicidal tendencies. I lost count of how many tried to ram my car and become road kill on a ten mile drive. They only seem to behave quite this recklessly in spring - is this normal?

Just noticed a purple anemone in bloom. I thought they were summer flowers.

Toad lifting has started with a vengance, Not sure what the toads feel about it!

Bitter booming at weekend
+

I presume you mean Bittern, Flower.

I certainly did durhamjen blame it on the splinter in my left peter pointer finger.

Yes there was frogspawn. Not easy to spot amongst the bubbly blanket weed.