Fresh shoots of spring

I've just been having a look at our bog garden. I'm anxious whether any of the plants we put in last year have survived.

The dogwood has looked healthy all winter. Their brightly coloured stems bringing some cheer to the mud patch. I've even been wondering if we shouldn't just fill the whole garden with a range of dogwoods of different size & colour. Even bare colourful stems help to hide the fence behind. And some varieties grow tall enough to hide some of the houses behind.

This morning, though, I was rewarded by the sight of a few, very fresh, reddish leaves emerging from the mud. The ligularia is coming out of its winter sleep. The at present red leaves will turn more chocolaty as the season progresses. So that's some more plants that have survived.

There's still no sign of life in the hydrangea. I'm particularly anxious about this. It seemed to droop very quickly when the bog became a lake rather than a mud patch. It would be a pity, partially because this was the big central plant, & also because the flowers were a gorgeous shade of blue. It was also the most expensive single plant.

There's no sign of the globe plants either.

I'm telling myself it is still early in the growing year. I'm just being impatient. We're not really out of winter yet. We've certainly not got beyond the season of ice & frost. That will be another month or so.

Meanwhile I'm starting to see signs of new life elsewhere in the garden. The new shoots of chives are pushing up through the soil. The fennel is looking so fluffy, at least near the ground. The crocuses & snowdrops are in flower. The birds are madly partnering off & flying around with twiggery in their beaks.

Spring is definitely on its way, if a bit hesitant at the moment.