I managed most of Friday in the garden this week. Although the wind was howling, there was lots of sun, a warm greenhouse, and a spring-like feeling, as I stripped out an old strawberry bed and got it ready for growing other stuff. But that’s a story for another day. For my #SixOnSaturday, I’m going to show some of the signs of life that are now appearing all over.

First, I’m so glad that I planted those fiddly little early iris bulbs. First up, a bright new variety, on show for the first time this year, I love them.

Second are more little iris. These are a more traditional colour for me, and they do pop up in tubs that I’d forgotten about, like this one.

I do admire the way that wallflower. slowing unfurl their flowers, one at a time. I can’t work out whether the buds start yellow and the petals turn fibrent red as they unfurl, or if I’m going to get a range of flowers colours. I love the furriness of the new buds too.

I did plant some new crocus too. They have been a bit slow to arrive, I do like the delicate lilac colour.

Higher up, male flowers, the catkins on a twisty hazel, have been going for a while now. Today was the first time I spotted those tiny, bright red, female flowers. There are a couple here, one to the left of the right-most catkin, the other further left, in the sunlight.

Later in the year, I know I will be infuriated, but today, I welcome the bright yellow on my garden’s first dandilion of the year.

I hope you enjoyed my #SixonSaturday. Stay safe, take care out there, and don’t forget to follow the crowd on Mastodon. We are starting to get the sixes going on Mastodon (other instances in the Fediverse are available), but we need a few more folk to toot on the topic: come join us. Al you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. Also on twitter @JamesLStephens. And I’m now mostly on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot.