Early Spring

This  morning, we went to a local aquatic supplies shop to buy some  equipment in readiness for renovating  our garden pond ( new net, water proof gauntlets,  plant pots and compost). The shop is near Braishfield, and  the day was so sunny, that we just had to call in at Hillier's Gardens on the way home. Unsurprisingly, it turned into a three hour visit, including a spot of lunch. 
There were many lovely crocuses in flower throughout the garden.(See main and second extra). It was also good to see some butterflies: several Brimstone, a Red Admiral, and a Small Tortoiseshell on the  Edgeworthia chrysantha (see first extra) which had obviously just emerged from hibernation.     
I noticed  a Brimstone butterfly in our garden, too, as well as many bees feeding on the  Winter flowering Honeysuckle.