Spring is on its way - hooray!

Last weekend was the first time in a while that I've ventured out into our garden. Part of my garden was forced as I knew I should be planting those tulips I'd discovered a few weeks back, and because from the house the greenhouse was calling me needing a water. As luck would have it Sunday was a relatively warm day so layered up I headed out with my phone in my hand. 

The other reason for taking a look around the garden was to see if Doris had played any of her havoc in our garden, as I'd spotted a neighbour's fence was down, both front and back. I was hoping that another neighbour's trampoline hadn't bounced into our garden, it hadn't. And thankfully Doris had left us alone, maybe she too, marvelled at my lone daffodil instead, and took pity on us!

It's a beautiful daffodil, but just a bit lonely I'd say.  I'm hoping there'll be a few more to come as I've plenty of shoots coming up, so I could be lucky.  Back near the house I found some of my own snowdrops nestling amongst the black grass. Every time I see a snowdrop I'm still amazed at how delicate they look, but how hardy they must be to be out there right now.

I spotted a dot of yellow at the back of the garden and soon afterwards snapped this, it's nibbled petals and textured leaves and if you look closely the promise of more flowers to come.  

And then I spotted my hellebores. I mean I've been seeing some pink from my seat at the table and hoped it was hellebores, and it was. We started with one plant a good few years ago and it's been self-seeding ever since, so now I have a row of these gorgeous plants spreading across the garden. 

One day I'll get brave and see if one of them fancies a change of scenery and try it in another part of the garden. With multiple plants that are self seeding it's easy to be brave like this. They seem such shy flowers with their heads downcast and their almost paper-like leaves. I was keen to photograph the inside of the flower as naturally as I could, but without looking a total loon and laying on the grass. Shoving my iPhone quite literally under their noses seemed to work.

Well for a bit, and then I decided to take a proper look. This flower is done and it's starting to set its seeds - see the bulbous bit in the middle - they'll burst and scatter their seeds when they're ready, and then hopefully next year I'll have a few more plants which I'll need to protect from MOH's over zealous weeding tendencies.

Ah hellebores, too pretty to be hidden away. But also a sure sign that Spring is on its way - hooray!

Anticipating Spring in a snowy Munich

On Friday I spent an hour in Munich, which all sounds rather decadent doesn't it? And in some ways it was, I had an hour to myself to do with what I wanted and so after checking out a snowy Hofgarten - more on that another day - I headed towards the shops. 

I was in Munich, and Kufstein in Austria the day before, as part of the Viking and Stihl UK press trip, their first, so that was a real honour and a pleasure too. We were treated to great hospitality at the Viking factory in Kufstein, which I'll share more of later, but first back to that hour in Munich.

My plan was to buy some chocolates to bring home, because well, chocolates it's the rules right. But somehow I found myself wandering around Depot in one of the smaller arcades. It was their window displays which drew me in, full of Spring colours and flowers and well, I couldn't help myself.

Magnolias, ranunculus, apple blossom and tulips. All realistic, apart from one thing - their scent. But a real treat to see on a snowy day, maybe a little early, but maybe when the temperature is -10 and lower, you need that hope earlier than we would in the UK. And those temperatures, strangely the cold wasn't unbearable. It's true I had two scarves on, the extra one a big wooly one over my coat, but the air was dry and I think that helped. I wouldn't have given up either scarf though...

MAGNOLIAS

RANUNCULUS

APPLE BLOSSOM

TULIPS, I THINK... FRILLY ONES.

These fleecy throws were a nod to the weather outside. The colour was bright and the blanket stitch detail made me smile. It was lucky that my hand luggage was already filling up, otherwise this shop would have sorely tempted my resolve.

FOR THOSE COLDER SPRING DAYS

NAMASTE

It's amazing isn't it, how Spring-like this display is. But I think we're at least a month away from the real thing 

TULIPS AND BUD VASES

But I did notice there were plenty of butterflies about. In all kinds of colours. Ceramic butterflies, butterfly garlands and butterfly motifs. I've not noticed that here, but then again I've not had a mooch around the shops here either. Are butterflies a trend for this Spring? Have you seen the decorative sort?

BUTTERFLIES

BLOSSOM AND BUDS

These budgie-like birds - I think it's the yellow, green and blue that prompted that memory - made me smile. These were a strong contender for coming home with me, maybe one or three, but I resisted. Mainly because there was a chocolate box shaped space in my bag, and that's all.

THESE REMINDED ME OF BUDGERIGARS, THE COLOURS I THINK

And these butterfly motif tea lighters were gorgeous too, maybe I'll look out for something similar here. Or plan another flying trip, this time for shopping!

BUTTERFLIES FOR YOUR TEA LIGHTS

HOME SWEET HOME

Yes, it's definitely the kind of place where you can make your house a home, and their bags, have I think got it spot on.

THEY'RE NOT WRONG THERE!

Oh, and if you're wondering, of course I bought some chocolates. They were well received but apparently I should have left a larger space in my luggage for a bigger box. Something else to remember on my next trip then!

* While this post isn't in collaboration with Viking or Stihl, it was only possible because of the UK press trip arranged by them. 

Blue - and pink - bells in my garden

We're definitely moving into the blue, pink and mauve phase of Spring. After spotting the giant bluebell clump yesterday I thought I'd check my garden to see just how the bluebells are managing out there.  Just fine it seems, as they seem to be in takeover mode. They're everywhere and spreading fast, but I'm not sure that's really a problem, are you?

They're on both sides of the garden, and in the rear beds too. They're by the house and under the rosemary bush.

And in with the sedums catching the sun from the trunk of the laburnum.

In with the oxalis with their foliage spilling onto the grass, clearly aware that MOH is wondering about a new lawnmower or at the very least finding somewhere to sharpen his existing blades, which seems a much trickier and harder to source option.

But it's not just bluebells, for I have some pinkbells too.  I'm pretty sure I've had some whitebells in the past, but they're not showing yet - or they've been and gone, I'm not sure which, or maybe I just haven't spotted them yet...

PINKBELLS PEEKING THROUGH THE EUPHORBIA

And as if to complement the change in colours, the honesty has sprung up again - this one bravely on the edge of the grass again taunting MOH and his lawnmower.

On the patio, the pansies in the pots are flowering and a few of the tulips are out already. The mini-daffodils and the heather have had their time and are making way for the sky-blue-pink phase.

And you know what that means don't you? It means that the blue flowering ceanothus and wisteria can't be too far away... Yay!