The crocuses make an appearance

This week we have a few more pictures of flowers than normal. I make no apology as it is nearly Spring and the sight of fresh colour in the garden is pretty uplifting for most, especially after the recent gloom.

Yesterday I even saw the sun for a few brief minutes. It was blowing a gale as part of storm Doris but the sun definitely shone.

I walked around the garden to see the damage that the storm was doing. We lost a large branch from one of the trees and a huge amount of debris has fallen, but overall we have got away fairly lightly. When you look on the news and see the damage that has occurred elsewhere I pity some of the people cleaning up this morning.

Sadly, someone even lost their life, hit by something blown off the roof in the Wolverhampton city centre. Somehow, walking around a city centre would be the last place you would expect to get hit by something but it seems you need to be vigilant everywhere these days.

The ground moves with night stalkers

There is a strange air in the garden! It feels like something is stalking us.

A new plague has arrived. There is lots of movement after dark on the lawns and paths and it feels like something out of Doctor Who as the relentless, instinctive drive to breed takes over. This time it is frogs.

These fellows are trying to get into the house. The allure of the lights is strong and we often find them waiting at the entrances for their chance. They hang around on the french-window sills, the patio and the gravel parking lot.

Two managed to get in and my wife had to escort them off the premises. But they keep trying.

These frogs are not new to the world. They have hidden away over winter and they are all a decent size. But they need to spawn, and nothing is going to stop them, as longs as they can survive the journey.

As you can imagine there are casualties. As much as we watch out for them, you need eyes on your feet with night vision to see them all. So a few get squished, especially on the gravel drive at night. But there are so many of them that one or two losses will not make any difference.

Be my Valentine!

Last week I talked a lot about Valentine’s day and how it is the start of things growing in the garden.

As described above it also seems to trigger the rise of the frogs. This happy couple seem to be getting into the Valentine’s day mood, either that or they are practising their piggy-back racing. 

So far there is no evidence of little frogs on their way but I am sure it is just a matter of time.

Spring blooms

As if by magic the garden has really come on this week. The weather has not been that special but the temperature has been mild and the flowers have started to bloom.

As luck would have it we visited friends in Suffolk last weekend. They always find a great place to visit, usually involving an element of the outdoors and gardens. This time we went to the Chippenham Park Estate which has a fantastic collection of early season flowers, Snow Drops, Aconites, Irises and Crocuses.

The difference in weather between the West and the East of the UK is really pronounced. There are far more flowers to see over there and the whole cycle of spring is well ahead of us in Somerset.

The pictures below hopefully capture the mood for you.

The estate also has a fantastic collection of Hellebores. Not just the regular ones that you see in the shops but a whole variety of different colours and sizes. With the warmer climate the Hellebores flourish and our few specimens look rather limited in comparison.

The pictures below are a selection of the best.

As featured in previous weeks our Amaryllis has rapidly grown to its full extent and hatched out. The full majesty of the flowers is now visible for all to see. In fact, the flowers are so big that it is struggling to stay upright.

What a fantastic plant it is. How does it manage to grow this big, planted in a small amount of soil and fed with a few cups of water?

It doesn’t last long but it is a wonder of nature that it can grow in this way and provide such a special show of colour.

There are a few pictures of it below.

Hare today gone tomorrow

It is nearly March and time to look out for the hares. We have seen a couple in the last week but they should become more visible in the next few weeks. There seem to be less about than a few years ago but they are pretty impressive if you can spot one.

Why not venture out to Painswick Rococo Garden this weekend. The Snow Drops are apparently in full bloom and there are five million of them to marvel at. Painswick itself is very nice but this destination adds to the occasion at this time of year.

I hope you don’t have too much to clear up after the storms. I’m off to pick the debris up from the trees.

Have a great weekend!

Flowering Daphne

This week I thought it might be worth testing your knowledge of storms. Answers are available tomorrow.  These questions are hard but interesting I think. 

1) What is a weather bomb?

2) How many are estimated to occur each year in the world?

3) The worst recorded storm to hit the UK blew ships hundreds of miles, blew down more than 400 windmills, demolished more than 2,000 large chimneys in London alone and destroyed the Eddystone Lighthouse – when was it?

4) When does bad weather become a storm?

5) When does a storm become a hurricane?

6) What animals have three eyelashes on each eye. One acts as a sort of windscreen wiper in sandstorms?

7) At any one moment how many thunderstorms are taking place somewhere on Earth?

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