Babies, buds and recent unfurlings

Sometimes it's the little things...nothing more beauteous, I find, than a tightly shut bud, full of promise...

Gardening has been sparse to say the least this winter, partly because I was struck down with monstrous morning sickness (expecting another baby at the beginning of July...yay!), but mostly because the whole family has been ill with one thing and another, and I hadn't managed to get out into the garden with my camera until yesterday.

Ladies and Gentlemen....I found treasure:

The garden looks grandly gorgeous in its winter clothes.  There is something lovely about the promise of it all.  Now that I am finally up and about I have at last managed to get out there cut away all the dead stuff.  I've never understood this idea of 'putting the garden to bed' -mine is certainly not sleeping.