This mildness is most welcome and is bringing many plants into flower rather early compared to the last couple of years. But I don’t trust it. I bet we have some more frosts which will damage the new fresh growth and spoil precocious flowers. It is a pleasure to be able to work outside without a jacket on and to get some of the jobs done without freezing to death.

I’m mainly busy getting lots of potting done but also working in the garden. The ornamental grasses are getting their annual chop, the verbena is also being cut down and I’m weeding as I go. I’ve pruned back the clematis and Philip has done the dogwoods. Its looking rather bare but a lot tidier. Some of the trees have become rocky after all the strong winds so, today, Philip has staked them in the hope of keeping them alive.

Its interesting how quickly the ground is drying out. The general squelchiness has diminished although the front ditch is still flowing quite well. There is more rain forecast for tomorrow so it will soon be a soggy site again which means it will be a while before we can work on it. Nearly March!