New beginnings.

Spring is on it's way with these lighter nights and warmer days. The chickens are roaming across our garden and Jack's from the moment they are let out till the sun has dipped behind the hill. Although it's not advised to have chickens in the flower beds I have to say that far from being destructive they have raked over the top layer of the beds and have only broken one small hyacinth. Once the sweet tips of new growth come through we'll have to keep an eye on them.

 

They love every part of one of our favourite plants, Cerinthe, the blue shrimp plant, and will strip that in a matter of minutes; greedily tearing at the leaves and pulling the pendulous beauties from their stalks. We now plant them in the front garden or in pots kept high enough out of their way to avoid total annihilation.

However, these are a few of the plants coming into their own right now.

The hellebores are looking lovely right now although they have again succumbed to the dreaded leaf spot they are susceptible to. Never mind, I just remove the leaves and enjoy the flowers.

Some damage has been done to this blue hyacinth. Still, it will smell as sweet, if only I was heartless enough to cut it for indoor use I could enjoy it's heady scent in the house.