The plants around us

We have done four weeks of Covid lockdown at this stage. The first half of that was still fairly loose and open to interpretation. The latter half however came with stricter instructions and tighter boundaries. And now we are challenged to take on three and half more weeks of the same. So at a time when plants are breaking loose from seeds and pods and buds - we are under orders to curl up at home and wait out the virus. Our odd Spring time shut down is the mirror image of what is happening in the plant world around us.  This is my dog, Penny, curled up for a daytime nap - this is not strictly caused by lockdown but could relate to the fact that with everyone at home she is getting walked more than usual. Below is whats happening by the moss covered limestone wall at the back of our garden. This fern is unfurling for its brief six month growing season, a great release of pent up energy as it bounces up into the warm Spring air. This lovely beech seedling has ...

So we set our clocks forward an hour last weekend. I usually revel in this change. Though missing the early morning light, it is just wonderful to have an extra hour each evening to do gardening jobs. This year however the flexible working hours imposed by the Covid lockdown has altered the impact. The Spring looks different - maybe its my own head changing the view but it seems colder and a little less cheerful, the wind has a cutting edge to it and weirdly the colour seems bleached compared to only a week or so ago. The first primroses I found this year look a cool shade of white rather than the pale buttery yellow I expected. And though we had a few days this week with clear blue skies it seemed to accentuate the colour bleaching of the landscape. The 2 km from home limit for walks or cycles is making me focus on my own garden at the moment. Planted several years ago, name long forgotten, these hardy tulips have ignored the cold and have brightened up the front boa...