I took some care when designing my garden 6 years ago, and with interlopers from over the fence, I never have a single month where there isn't a bloom or blossom in my garden.

This month I have had crocus and miniature daffodils (tete a tete variety), white daffodils, two colours of rosemary (pink and blue), grape hyacinths, real hyacinths, forsythia, verbena, violets, blue and purple primroses and periwinkle. The Bay tree has just burst into yellow blossom and the pittisporum is showing its heavenly deep wine red colour on the buds. When these bloom, they look like little bells and have the most amazing evening perfume, out of all proportion to the size of the flower.

The bluebells have buds appearing, the roses are beginning to stir, the hollies are looking brighter and the many ivy varieties are starting to climb towards the sun again.

The two dogwoods (common green and 'midwinter fire') are bursting with leaves, the pussy willow has sprouted kittens and the water lilies are piercing the duckweed on their way to the sky.

All it needs is a little tidying up and some damage control, and it will be fit for a party. As I type now, the sun is shining and it looks positively tropical.

It's home to a blackbird family (they nested here last year too) and some newcomers, a colony of tits. Surprisingly enough, with the amount of cats in the area (at least 7, including my 3), they appear to be thriving. Even the sparrows have been making a comeback since my neighbour cut down their privet bush commune 3 years ago.

Life in the pond is burgeoning, although I notice a decline in baby watersnails.... I suspect the flat worms and the leech have been getting hungry. I will have to thin out the weed this year, if only to find the candle holder that fell in 2 weeks ago when we had a gale.

So what the heck am I doing here? I'm off to enjoy half an hour or so in the sun!

LTS