Into March now, in theory the beginning of spring.  Despite the occasional day of sunshine it’s still mostly grey, wet and cold. Not much sign of the weather warming up significantly but my focus has shifted.

I’ve reluctantly turned my back on trekking in winter conditions and instead am planning ahead for a return to Greece at the end of March or early April.  There is little appeal in walking under grey skies, mountains clagged in low cloud and that means apart from anything else trying to get the garden in order.  The soil is still too cold and wet to plant the potatoes or sow seed so I’m doing more wall-building and hard-landscaping to reduce the amount of maintenance needed while I’m away.

I know from previous visits that the Greek islands are very colourful in Spring with far more wild flowers than the parched vegetation of Summer.  This Spring I’ll be involved in a small way with a ‘Wild Flowers and Walking Group’ and am looking forward to that.

In the meantime, with nothing as yet in flower on the mountain behind the house, I take the camera down the garden now and again and photograph the spring flowers emerging through the fallen leaves in the ‘Acer Glade’, the trees planted to reduce the amount of maintenance needed down there.

Crocuses in bud in the Acer Glade

…. closer look

…. and Deep Purple

A couple of days later the flowers open

….. a closer look

Daffodils open for St David’s Day

Large Tortoiseshell still sheltering in the house

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