Last week I was getting excited because the snowdrops were starting to open. Here we are a week later and not only are they all open but the crocus have also burst forth. The purple crocus anyway, the yellow have not yet shown.

In addition one very brave daffodil has opened. Fortunately it is one of the shorter varieties, I am sitting writing this listening to a gale blowing and that wind is freezing. When I first started gardening I chose the tall, large flowered types which I think many of us do but recent years I have fallen in love with the shorter alpine varieties.

Also now opening are the Hellebores and what good value they are in the garden. They get on with putting on their leaves in summer and mid winter the flowers start to show. Last weekend I cut the leaves down to the ground leaving the flowers exposed to put on their long show. And what a long show they put on, you almost begin to take them for granted and begin to walk past without a second glance.

Perhaps Mother Nature knows something I do not. A couple of weeks ago we were covered with snow and then suddenly came warmer weather and the garden has responded; bulbs opening and perennial plants thrusting up fresh green leaves. Hope she knows what she is doing!

It was sad to hear of the death of Geoffrey Smith, a great gardener who influenced me through his writing, television and radio programmes. I consider myself lucky to have been able to listen and learn from such a knowledgeable gardener who also had the capability of communicating with us amateur gardeners. He was a really excellent radio gardener which sounds a strange thing to say but if you ever had the chance to hear him you would know what I mean. Just like reading a good book or listening to a well produced radio play his dialogue could transport you to the garden or wildlife meadow he was describing.

• spring crocus - img_3352. my crocus’ are almost finished blooming, but i did manage to capture them when they were at their finest. i love this purple and yellow combo. most of my crocus flowers are in little clumps in the grass beside the garden beds. ...

• My Garden is My Space

  Crocus timelapse As the Garden Grows - In the spring, crocus' are one of the first flowers that I have the pleasure of seeing emerge. Sometimes they come up as early as Mid-March, often between melting patches of snow. Not in the high traffic areas, but in various places on my front and back lawn for a natural kind of look.

• Garden Diary