Inspiring Flowers and Tricky Knitting

The weather has been a little kinder the last few days. The return of sunny spells is very welcome.

The Crocuses have flourished, offering up their faces to the sun and looking very beautiful. Their satin petals look like they have been painted with the most delicate strokes of colour.

At last the Daffodils have started to open a few flowers. I brought in a few to enjoy them at close quarters. The little “Tete-a-tetes” are so dainty and fresh.

The polytunnels are still supplying a few carrots and leeks. Very tasty and full of vitamins. It’s a pleasure to pull them up for a good meal. They smell wonderful as well as being delicious.

One of the advantages of undercover growing is that you can start sowing earlier because of the protection from the worst weather. I have sown Kohl rabi in the last week. These are pretty hardy and taste really good. If you’re not familiar with them they are similar to a turnip but with a much nicer, sweeter flavour. Not something you usually see in the supermarket.

One of the big Hellebore plants has a white version growing with it. They must have become mingled at the nursery when they were being grown. It usually only has a few flowers and I thought it had given up finally with the vigorous competition from the pink one. I was so pleased to discover just one flower, almost hidden under the abundance of pink ones. So pure looking and very pretty.

One of the wonderful things about being a gardener is the ever changing display, seasonal changes and the delightful surprises. Things pop up now and then. Plants grow from seeds dispersed by the wind or by birds. It’s never the same from year to year and can never be boring. Even the feathers dropped by the birds are lovely to see.

All these lovely flowers, with their promise of renewal and better days, inspired me to write another poem.

The First Flowers of the Year

Snowdrops nodd their dainty petals,
With Daffodils not far behind,
Where every foraging bee settles
When the faltering sun is kind.
The colours of these early blooms
Lift the dullness of the season,
Banish Winter's deadening glooms
And restore again life's reason.
Each satin Crocus shining bright
In all perfection, pure and clean,
Is pointing upwards to the light,
To which each one of us should lean.
Regeneration is our goal.
We welcome signs of early Spring,
Cherish precious food for the soul
And shrug off Winter's cruel sting.

The sun was setting as I looked out beyond the garden. We’re fortunate to have silver Birches in the background and they were silhouetted against a pink sky. The Crow’s nest has withstood all the storms. It must have been built by practised, clever birds.

I finally finished my knitting. It nearly drove me mad! I have never struggled with a pattern as much as I did with this. Perhaps I’m getting too old.

I’m pleased that it turned out relatively well considering the effort it took. I love the colours and the style.

Very floral in theme this week but I hope it was enjoyable. Perhaps we need something beautiful and reassuring in these upsetting times. Bye for now and have a good week