Signs of Spring

February is the month when we notice the days getting longer. There’s a long way to go before Spring is really underway but these early signs are wonderful and so welcome after the long dark months.

At the edge of the pond today

One of the first signs is in the pond. Today the noise of multiple (I counted at least 20) frogs trying to attract a mate could be heard all over the garden. They are timid so as soon as they see something move they dive into the mud and leaves at the bottom of the pond. If you wait patiently they gradually reappear.

Mounds of frogspawn are appearing and are being added to every day. At this time of the year the heron likes to visit and seems partial to both frog and spawn.

Frogspawn on the pond

Signs of bulbs emerging can be seen as early as December but February is the month when the early bloomers really have a growth spurt. Snowdrops emerge and always look so cheerful. There were no snowdrops in this garden when we moved in so we have been planting each winter. Last year a passing badger dug them all up - probably to get at the juiciest worms.

Snowdrops in early February

In this garden the earliest flowering daffodils are the miniature Tête-a-Tête which can be seen coming into bloom by the end of February

Over in the vegetable garden it is the rhubarb which is first to emerge. We like to give each plant a Spring feed of well rotted homemade compost and look forward to months of comforting puddings as well as a particularly delicious batch of rhubarb chutney made from a recipe handed down through the generations.

Rhubarb shoot emerging

It has been a really wet winter here and the ground is pretty sodden. It’s lovely to look forward to more sunny days, the ground drying and new growth emerging everywhere.