Spring 'on hold'

When I started gardening as work rather than relaxation I was fairly confident that I would have to be as busy as possible during the spring, summer and autumn, but could largely put my feet up over the winter and enjoy reading, writing, painting pretty pots and tins, and drinking copious cups of tea by a roaring fire.  Alternatively, if there hadn't been much work during the rest of the year and we were skint, I would go forth and seek agency employment for a few months, at least until the 'management' of wherever I was sent got fed up with me trying to unionise the rest of their crew and packed me off back to the employment agency.

So it's come as something of a surprise - albeit a pleasant one - to get some potentially labour-intensive and long-term gardening projects 'on site' after Christmas, and at the same time be asked to assist in delivering training for, and to, my old Citizens Advice Bureau. 

Gardening in the last couple of weeks has been a real pleasure, uncovering the tips of spring bulbs just starting to break through the soil as I clear the remains of summer perennials and fallen leaves, dividing and replanting the first flowering primroses of the year (in sheltered Sandbach, not up here) and listening to the chippering of a pair of robins shadowing my every move as I turn over the soil.

Even at home there are encouraging sights - the primroses might not be ready to flower yet, but the snowdrops are almost out and astonshingly there's a peachy-coloured geum in flower by the pond.  Most impressively, the hellebores have buds about to burst, despite being in a state of confusion during the non-summer this year and flowering profusely throughout August. 

But it looks as if we're about to be plunged back into winter for a while with a fall of snow last night and the threat of some very cold days for the rest of the week.  If the ground freezes, that'll be it for the gardening for the time being, although frosty still days are pleasant enough to work in as long as you've got enough pairs of socks on!  And it's seriously bad news for slugs, at last!