The first of them!

Our hellebores are not quite ready to open, but I found a clump in John's woodland that are looking lovely. 

He lost a few trees in the storms and has had the tree surgeons in to cut a few unstable ones hard back. Now there are a lot more open patches of ground, which means the pheasants are more visible.  Before long this open ground will be covered with the tiny new leaves of celandine,  clumps of three cornered leeks and purslane.  

Fewer birds in the garden these days as John has a pair of sparrowhawks taken up residence. Beautiful to see, tricky to photograph and more than a bit of a threat to other birds.