This really is a fantastic time of year. It might still feel like winter has its feet firmly under the table, but if you slow down and actually look at the borders, there’s a lot going on. New growth is quietly popping up everywhere now, often when you least expect it.
The real stars of the show at this time of year are the bulbs and the hellebores. There’s something genuinely exciting about those first bright green shoots pushing their way through the soil. They don’t rush, they just appear one day and then you find yourself checking them daily, half hoping this will be the day they finally open and brighten things up a little more.
I’ve already started spotting my favourites this year, and every single one of them lifts my mood when I see them. Snowdrops nodding away like they’ve been here forever, winter aconites glowing like tiny drops of sunshine, irises making a quiet statement, and the familiar shapes of narcissi and daffodils getting ready for their moment. The hellebores are already putting on a reliable display, barely bothered by the cold at all. And then there are the hyacinths – fantastic plants with an aroma that can almost knock you over when you walk past them.
Now I’m keeping my eyes peeled for the first crocuses. They always feel like a proper marker that things are moving on, even if winter hasn’t quite finished yet.
What have you seen already? And if you haven’t noticed anything yet, don’t panic. Head out into the garden, or take a slow walk around your local park. I’m sure there’ll be something somewhere, quietly doing its thing, waiting to be noticed.
