The yellow phase

The yellow tulips

While the garden continues to put on its new green clothes, it's entering the phase of predominantly yellow flowers: daffodils, yellow tulips, Doronicums, cowslips, Epimediums, and the Erythroniums due to open soon.  Also celandines, which I tolerate, and dandelions, which I don't.  There are also patches of blue (Brunnera, self-sown forget-me-nots, grape hyacinths) and white (the later daffs, Osmanthus and still some winter honeysuckle flowers).  The first red tulips are showing, and the hellebores are still going strong, bless them - they've done well this year.
 

Rather wind-blown daffodils, mostly yellow

As far as the dandelions are concerned, my annual dandelion patrol has started, digging up or at least de-heading those that I spot.  I'm also coming down hard on bittercress this year, while continuing to pounce on any willowherb I see.  Last year's vigilance has reduced the latter considerably, but there were a few that were hidden in long grass or under other plants and seeded away happily.  I'm pleased with the lack of weeds in the new border at the bottom of the garden, however; leaving it mostly bare last year to aid identification and removal of weeds seems to have paid off.  I can get planting in there when I can find the time.

Brunnera 'Jack Frost'

As well as some general tidying-up, this weekend saw some progress in the vegetable garden.  The first broad bean plants are showing, and the second lot were sown with some dill and coriander in between; also Calendulas and Nasturtiums to provide some colour.  I also sowed my leeks and shallots (I'm trying them from seed this year), and planted the potatoes; and one of the little alpine strawberry beds was re-made, as the plants  had been ignored for rather a long time and were looking very tired.  I also put in some oregano, specially for the bees, since they loved it so much last year.

The weather has taken one step backwards; it's dry mostly, and often sunny, but the wind went back to the north and east and it has been chilly.  Yesterday was better, with a westerly wind that was milder, and a sun that had warmth in it when the wind dropped.

The first baby bird of the year has appeared: a blackbird, following its dad on to the patio in search of food.  There are signs of others around in the hedge.  The robin is still taking food away, and a female greater spotted woodpecker has been coming to the peanuts, presumably for a quick snack between hatching or feeding young. A racing pigeon also turned up for a refuelling pit-stop yesterday, The pheasant hasn't been about the garden, but he was down in the field yesterday lording it over five females, so presumably he has other things on his mind than hanging about under the seed feeder or dust-bathing in the vegetable beds.