Dahlia tubers on the bench and spring starting to show

It finally feels as though spring is beginning to show itself properly now. There are more bulbs open, the days are milder and I have reached that point where the dahlia tubers come out and start taking over every available surface.

I have spent part of this week potting up tubers, looking at long-flowering perennials and thinking again about how quickly the jobs list grows in March. One minute you are still tidying winter away and the next you are pruning hydrangeas, sowing seeds and wondering where to put everything.

I have also started planting out some of the autumn-sown seedlings on the better days. It still needs watching carefully, but once the weather softens a little it is such a relief to start moving things on.

There is definitely a colour pattern emerging here too. If it is pink, apricot or something warm and joyful, I am almost certainly going to find room for it.