Imbolc, and the First of Spring is with us at last after all those long, chilly January nights.  I think we can all feel somewhat relieved to know the days are steadily getting lighter and ever so slightly longer, and our energy, like the rising sap of the trees and plants starts to feel a little more buoyant too as we emerge into this gradual changing of the season.

Here in the workshop it has been a busy start to the year, preparing a lovely collection of work for the annual Snowdrop Festival at Museum in the Park, Stroud; alongside making sure the gallery outlets I partner with have had a plentiful supply of Snowdrop and Spring Flower Stems for their customers too. It has been a real pleasure to work with a palette of fresh Spring greens again after being enveloped for so long in the rich, warmer colours of the Christmas season, and I am looking forward to introducing more soft pastel tones as we move through February into March.

Early February has also been a wonderful time to get out of the workshop and around the county. I have been waiting patiently for the roads across the Somerset Levels to open up again (our beautiful, watery county is unfortunately subject to frequent flooding and several main routes have been closed for several weeks). Finally after a drier spell of weather it has been possible to traverse The Levels again and to take some time out to refresh my retail space in the Gallery Shop at Hestercombe House & Gardens; I was blessed with the most sunshiney, blue sky day, and after delivering my stock was able to spend a little time in the grounds getting reaquainted with the early plants who are now bursting forth in abundance - Spring has most certainly arrived at this beautiful old property, and in our wonderful county.