As March saw out the winter and brought in the spring, life has surged back into the garden. The weather is warming, the plants are flowering and the minibeasts are out and about again.

The crocuses were out in force at the start of the month, with lovely displays of deep purple and white, closely followed by the anemones which are still going now. The first wave of daffodil flowers also came and went as the pastel blue flowers of forget-me-not’s began to emerge.

Crocus ‘Ruby Giant’ sparkling in the sunlight in the garden.

A crocus ‘Ruby Giant’ flower, opening up in Saturday morning’s sunlight.

Snowdrops aren’t the only white flowers around at the moment, crocus Snow Bunting flowers are looking great in the garden.

Crocus ‘Snow Bunting’ soaking up the sunlight on Saturday morning in the garden.

Wood anemone flower, opening up in the sunlight in the garden.

A wood anemone flower lapping up the sunlight in the garden.

A crocus ‘Ruby Giant’ flower, lit up from the inside by sunlight in the garden.

Sunshine after the rain glistening off a droplet of water on a daffodil flower.

The bright yellow stamen and stigma Inside a deep purple crocus ‘Ruby Giant’ flower.

The pretty little flowers of common field-speedwell opening up in the garden.

The yellow centre of a crocus “Snow Bunting” flower, looking like a fried egg.

The contrast of colours between the centre and the petals inside a crocus “Ruby Giant” flower.

The pollen covered centre of a wood anemone flower.

Dwarf daffodil’s brightening up a dull day in the garden.

First of the Forget-me-not flowers to open in the garden this year.

The tiny flowers of wavy bitter-cress shooting up from the garden lawn. Wavy and hairy bittercress both look very similar, but the flowers make them much easier to identify. Hairy bittercress flowers only have 4 stamens whereas wavy bittercress flowers usually have more – here the flowers have 6 stamens.

As the Ruby Giant crocuses near the end of their flowering, the last of them were lapping up the sunlight last week. (1/3)

As the Ruby Giant crocuses near the end of their flowering, the last of them were lapping up the sunlight last week. (2/3)

As the Ruby Giant crocuses near the end of their flowering, the last of them were lapping up the sunlight last week. (3/3)

The backs of daffodils in the garden, lit up by the afternoon sunlight.

Looking down on daffodils in the garden, thought I’d try out a different angle.

Looking down the back of daffodils in the garden, the sunlight making them glow brightly against the shadowy ground.

The veins on a cyclamen leave looking like river valleys heading toward a green sea.

White hyacinth flowers catching the sunlight in the garden.

The spiral of spiked leaves that make up a houseleek rosette.

A variety of colour in the centre of an anemone blanda flower, in the garden.

There’s signs of new growth too, plants sprouting from the ground to bring more colour in the months to come.

Definite signs of spring in the garden as new growth sprouts from the ground. (1/3)

Definite signs of spring in the garden as new growth sprouts from the ground. (2/3)

Definite signs of spring in the garden as new growth sprouts from the ground. (3/3)

Leaves emerging from an allium bulb in the garden.

More signs of spring in the garden, a pulmonaria seeding sprouting from the ground.

And my favourites, the minibeasts, have started to return. There’s been ladybirds and spiders out in the warm sun and brimstone butterflies flittering around the flowers. Along with the ever present groove snails, loitering with intent.

A couple of groove snails hanging out under the lip of a plant pot in the garden.

Getting down to eye level with a Nursery Web spider, taking in the rays in a patch of sunlight in the garden.

First brimstone butterfly I’ve seen this year, in the garden feeding on the pulmonaria flowers.

Brimstone butterfly buried head first into a pulmonaria flower in the garden.

Bright red 7-spot ladybird in the sun, contrasting to the green of the newly unfurled aquilegia leaves.

This year I’ve also started to get more into doing black and white work, sometimes I think it produces a more striking photo than would be achieved with colour – bringing out the textures and subtle markings in the subjects.

First saxifrage flower of the year, in the garden.

First daisy of the year in the garden, flowering in the lawn.

The white bell flowers of summer snowflake, flowering in the garden.

A daisy flower in the garden lawn, taking in the warm spring sunlight.

Structure of an empty poppy seed head from last year, in the garden.

An anemone blanda flower, moving slightly in the wind.

Onward we go into Spring, the colour is building and the green leaves are starting to return to the trees and hedge rows.

As always, to stay up to date with my photos keep an eye on my Flickr page.