Colour and Hope

A little sunshine, a breath of warmth, a splash of colour and I feel like a different person. The egg yolk yellow of these miniature daffodils just gives me an instant lift as well as the corner of our home where they will sit. The weather has been loads warmer and dry enough to some tidying in the garden. I have to say that the garden doesn't look wonderful for its tidy up but there are plenty of strong healthy shoots and the promise of luscious green leaves and bright flowers brings a certain amount of excitement.





These little packets of seeds always make me feel excited. I know I'll have to hang on to them until April before I can plant them outside but I love buying them, knowing that these alien looking seeds behave impeccably and always grow beautifully once planted in their little black seed trays.




Ferreting around in the cellar this morning I stumbled upon this forgotten little trug that I had painted and decorated with images of seed packets. I thought perhaps it's time that I begin to use it.( Any ideas of what I do use it for will be gratefully received). I love seed packets and I can't explain why. I love to see them at the garden centre, row after row in their racks. Some, very familar plants, others that I've never heard of , that look full of promise and give you a wonderful sense of anticipation as you plant them up and wait patiently as the tiny little seedlings poke their heads through the soil. At this time of year Father-in-law has a stash of seed packets that hold great excitement. Already the sweet peas will have been planted in trays, familar varieites that will be guaranteed to win prizes and new plants each year promising large blowsy flowers and heady scents. He knows I like the old fashioned, less showy varieties of sweet pea and he now always plants a selection of these and presents them to me with their short stems and deep velvety colours, to sit in a pretty vintage jug. Some of the sweet peas are nurtured lovingly for the horticultural shows during the sumer. Others will be on sale at the gate next to the honesty box. All that beauty from these little paper packets of seeds.



All we need now is for the weather to continue to improve, a little sun, a little rain and we can all begin to breathe and relax again. How I love Spring!