Springtime.

We have developed a spring garden, so these pictures illustrate how.

This was a dead area of poor soil and pernicious weeds - a lawn of weeds in fact. This now looks rather better. You can spot primroses, hellebores, bellis and daffodils, with a magnolia stellata in flower in the background. You make out a few wisps of a pink flowering ornamental damson - I know this because one year it fruited and the damsons were enjoyed. Mostly, the fruits do not mature.

The hellebores are at their best at the moment, many self-seeded.

Another corner, under lonicera purpusii, winter flowering and still flowering, this mix of herbs and flowers.

However big the garden, there is always room for containers which can be changed season by season.

These two delights are double hellebores, with thanks to Ashwoods nursery. The black and cream flowers look very good together, growing in full shade.

A very fine daffodil, very long tube and reflex petals. Named Pacific Coast.

The raised alpine bed with drumstick primulas and much else.

This picture shows closer detail.

And to finish, more hellebores and the promise of shrubs to come.