I was away last week visiting family, so sent just a very quick #SixOnSaturday post to Mastodon, which you find here. This week, I’m home in time for ‘spring’ — a cold snap is coming, but not quite yet, so there’s a chance to do some veg bed prep this weekend, before possible snow and ice. In the mean time, here are some promising signs of spring for my first #SixOnSaturday of the new month.

I’ve been waiting, and finally those tiny little red female flowers on the hazel here here, nestled at the top of each catkin.

I’m pleased to see the very first mini-daffs are flowering, amidst pulmonaria in full flower now.

Magnolia are having a slow start this year, but soon, soon their will break their buds. Meanwhile, the fluffy texture of the buds is very pleasing.

Another new iris for this year. These were much later to flower than the typical blue, or the plae yellow, but well worth the wait. I love the rich purple.

Perhaps just a bit too early, I do hope that the first few muscari don’t get blasted by snow and ice!

For this week’s finale, it is worth waiting a few years for hellebore to establish. I’ve been posting flowers from this one since they started to appear: now the plant is showing its full floriferous glory.

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. All 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.