Swifts and the cuckoo

The cuckoos have returned and now the swifts.
Along with the swallows and house martins, the nesting season and I presume summer has begun.

The flowers are still very springlike with the bluebells.

Swallows

Last Saturday there were 3 swallows flying around, 

One swallow doesn't make a summer

however, I do hope that it is the start of the summer. There are still daffodils out along with tulips and the bluebells are just beginning to show in the woodlands. 

Some clematis flowers over the staunch.

Blossom is on all the trees with the promise of apples, plums, pears and cherries and for the lucky peaches. All, if we can beat the birds to the delectable fruit. 

Nettles

Nettles have very long strong roots and underground runners.
Spent hours digging, tugging and man-handling these terrors in an effort to get a little piece  of land cleared for the Echinacea  plant-lets. 

From this to this in a mere 6 hours!

then a cup of this seemed a fitting end to a wearing day.

Take that you pesky stinging nettles! 

Sadly 'rejuvenation' was beyond a hope by that time.

Sunshine and catkins

The sun was shining and the catkins are out. 
The catkin is the male part of the plant, if you look carefully at the top you can just make out the tiny red flower that is the female and if pollinated by the pollen blown from the male will create a hazelnut later in the year.

A Flurry

We had a flurry of snow and were lucky enough to see it before it melted a few minutes later. So here is the 'snow' by the snowdrops.
It really was just a brief flurry.

We started to dig the veggie beds.
The pink bucket is full of the couch grass that has the most amazing long spidery roots that spread in all directions for up to 3 feet. If you break a tiny piece off and a new plant begins.

Lovely Garden