We continue to have a fair bit of rain, wind

and cool weather here. One of our consolations

is Leopard's Bane the first perennial to show

green in the spring and the first to bloom. our

various plants have been going strong for maybe

six weeks. It was on sale at a garden centre on

the weekend and I bought eight more plants.

"The trees are afraid to put forth buds,
And there is timidity in the grass;
The plots lie gray where gouged by spuds,
And whether next week will pass
Free of sly sour winds is the fret of each bush
Of barberry waiting to bloom."

                             A Backward Spring

                                    Thomas Hardy