Garden: A Brief Taste of Spring

It is mid March and the vernal equinox, normally a really busy time. I would expect to be dashing up to La Mongie or Peyragudes for some skiing, returning home in the middle of the afternoon as the snow turns to knee breaking slush in the warmth of a spring afternoon but in plenty of time to get some more seeds sown. 

But not this year - this morning it was still snowing down here at 300m, and although that has now turned to drizzle, at a mere 2 degrees, it is far too cold for outdoor seed sowing. And after an incredibly wet winter my clay soil is still very cold and inert. But after two years of drought, I refuse to complain about the rain - the local reservoir looks full for the first time since 2015!

The endless damp days have not made for good photography chances, but I did manage to snatch  few yesterday morning, before the snow returned!

Peach Blossom - our very first and although the tree is trained against a south facing wall, I suspect the return of winter will prevent us getting our first fruit this year.

Goat Willow - I have this everywhere and it buzzes with bees on sunny and warm days. It is also the food plant of the Purple Emperor caterpillar, a stunning butterfly that we see often.

A flash of red and gold from the Japanese Quince, Chaenomeles, flowering since early December.

The camellia has been awesome so far this year, although it rather suffered in the sub zero temperatures of late February, the flowers quickly becoming tatty and brown.

The marsh marigolds have been providing a splash of yellow in the pond since the start of the month.

The grass is awash with dandelions and many other 'weeds' vital for the early emerging insects.

Being on a south facing slope the only shady spot for this glorious hellebore is in the porch beside the front door. The eagle eyed amongst you will see that this is also where the skis are stored during the season!