As I write this post, my 5-year-old son is sitting on my lap. He’s home sick today–woke up with flushed scarlet cheeks and a fever, followed very soon after by a bout of, well, there’s no better way to put this, vomiting. So it’s been a low key day around the house. However I did get a chance to wander through the garden to see how everything is growing after a good soak last night from a heavy downpour. This time of year always reminds me of the story of the Secret Garden–a book I intend to read to my children one day. Peaking out beneath the remnants of last year’s vegetation are the delicate shoots and buds about to burst forth in full bloom. For me, an avid amateur gardener, this is an exciting time. And now there is further evidence my garden is waking from its winter slumber. The early flowers of Spring are in full bloom: daffodils, fragrant hyacinths, muscari or grape hyacinths, hellebores and one of my favourites, Snake’s Head fritallaria, which are a relative of the tulip. This flower gets it’s name from the delicate pattern on the petals, which are reminiscent of a snake’s skin. I tend to gravitate towards flowers in the blues, purples, pinks and whites in my garden as you will see from the pictures below.

I’d love to continue the conversation about my garden right now, but the 43-pound child on my lap is becoming restless, and it seems watching me type and click the mouse is less than thrilling for him, so this conversation will have to continue at a later date.