At last — our first daffodil of the spring is in bloom. Admittedly, it is almost lost amongst the bird dropping-spattered leaves and ivy under the weeping willow pear tree, but it is a welcome sight nevertheless. The crocuses and pulmonaria are well in bloom, and the first blossoms have been seen on the rhododendrons and azaleas. However, winter has not lost its grip yet; the forecast for tomorrow is gale-force winds (again) and wintry showers on the high ground.
Blossoms have been bursting into bloom with this week's warmth and sunshine. The first apple to blossom is a King of Pippins planted over 100 years ago and growing against the south-facing wall.
Mackie is hard at work laying the new stone path. Most of his time is spent cutting and placing the setts in position. It's almost like matching pieces of a giant jigsaw puzzle! Although we're pleased to have sunny weather predicted for the next five days, this south-facing part of the garden is a real suntrap and may too warm for comfort by the end of the week.
Ken and Mackie are uplifting the lovely herringbone-patterned path that brickie Pete laid 11 years ago. Unfortunately, the clay bricks have crumbled badly from winter frost and are dangerously uneven for the elderly visitors to our garden. Donald's son, Neil McBean, is cutting Clashach sandstone setts to match those on the bridge over the pond. The new path should be ready for our first 'Contact the Elderly' visitors this summer.
Our ever-helpful puppy is ready to lend his assistance as Ken attempts to rake the edge of an island bed. Swishing leaves are a magnet to Bramley, who puts his nose to the ground and sniffs for any interesting flora or fauna.
Just as the spring flowers start bursting forth in all their colour, the temperature takes a dip towards winter again, bringing light flurries of sleet and snow.
What a windy start to the Easter weekend! The nearly-blossoming daffodils in the lower right of the photo are an indication of Spring. But the waves crashing against the shore in the northerly wind are a sign that there won't be any rolling of Easter eggs on the lawn this Sunday.
Bramley displayed his natural terrier tendencies today by 'helping' Ken dig a hole in the heather bank.
I thought a saw a frog leap into the lower pond on Thursday. Sure enough, today I found four clumps of frogspawn floating above the dense layer of blanketweed.
Yes, this is rapidly turning into a puppy website! Bramley had great fun this afternoon chasing leaves and running through the flower borders. We had every sort of weather today: gales, showers of rain and hailstones and, finally, brilliant sunshine. The garden is showing signs of neglect. It will soon be time for all serious two-footed gardeners and their four-footed helper to get busy!
