"An ounce of practice..

is worth more than a ton of preaching"

Gandi

The weather warmed up considerably over the weekend and allowed some work to continue in the garden.  The enhancement and repair work for the willow classroom continued with a start being made on shredding the smaller branches.  The shredded bark has been distributed in the woodland walk to improve the path through there.

The warmer weather has triggered the frogs!  A slight change in water temperature and they come from nowhere and start laying frogspawn.   This year we have more than ever before which means that our pond and garden are in a very healthy state and frogs are surviving to return to their native pond.  A lot of pictures of the frogs but they have a magnetic appeal about them splashing and croaking in the pond.

In the greenhouse the crassulas are flowering well now.  we have waited a couple of years for this event.  The small, simple delicate flowers are pleasing to the eye

The sundew plants and venus fly traps are also awakening from the winter shutdown

Elsewhere Spring is in the air.  The Corsican Hellabore is in flower and nearby a lot of Pulmonaria is in flower.  This plant produces early flowers for bees.  There are few other options available for the bees at this time of year

On a Calendula flower an Angle Shades moth caterpillar was basking in the sunshine

Daffodils, yellow and blue crocuses are now flowering and the few bees and hoverflies on the wing were visiting them on Saturday afternoon.  Also seen was a Peacock and a Small Tortoisehell butterfly

Finally our Echium russula plants are doing well in the cold frame.  These will be transplanted out later and the bees will enjoy them