Helleborus orientalis

Helleborus orientalis Black

Sedum Herbstfreude

Snow drops and aconites

Fresh lush growth

The fabulous bracts of Euphorbia characias

Crocus

A snowy sping scene

Ed & Lucy

There's nothing like a bit of zing in the garden to get you going! A fabulous verdant glow has taken over the garden in the last few months as the shoots of bulbs and perennials emerge from their dormant state.

The bulbs have put on a tremendous show despite being submitted on a nearly weekly basis to hail, sleet, snow and widely fluctuating temperatures. I'm convinced that they have all benefited from the snug thick mulch of leaf mould that we laid over the entire garden early on in the year.

Snowdrops and aconites started off the floral show, followed by cheeky crocuses and daft daffs. The tulips are gradually edging their way to centre stage now and will soon be followed by alliums and nectoroscordum siculum.

However the thing that really gives spring the zing for me is the combination of the wonderful lime green bracts of euphorbias with blue wood anemones at their feet - I can't get enough of them! Other favourite spring sights include the new foliage of sedums and lifting the nodding heads of hellebores.