We seem to have had more gales and wind than normal this year - perhaps its the cumulative damage that is making me think that. Certainly the Magic Garden has sustained more damage than usual and the loss of my fences is still hurting. I miss the familiar scruffy fence with its coating of foliage. I have planted hedglings along the back and some of the side-fence but am impatient for them to grow. There are signs elsewhere that with the lengthening days we are heading towards spring as bulbs push up through. A year ago today I have to keep reminding myself we were under snow so wind chill is less surprising.

I have added a yellow-flowered winter flowering jasmine to hopefully go up the fence between the black elder and the magnolia. It should brighten up that corner at this time of year when the leaves are still off the trees. For all its name includes winter, I think it will be a harbinger of spring, a bit like the now numerous irises all over the Magic Garden.

There is a wee patch of wallflowers coming out at the front of the Magic patch with a mix of yellows, red and oranges. They don’t really fit colour-wise but then nor will the yellow daffodils when they start flowering! I always think wallflowers are less antisocial or shy than the name is used to imply.