The snowdrops are suddenly appearing in profusion, not long ago just tiny white dots in the grass and earth of the border. For a few days it was almost balmy, incredibly mild after the bitter cold we've had. They’ve been held back by the frozen crust and struggled to get through but underneath they were pushing up determinedly. Now the unexpected sunshine has hurried them into stronger life. Soon they will be a glorious display of white with the yellow aconites dabbled among them.

I'm not exactly a galanthophile but there is something about these gallant tiny flowers that never fails to lift my spirits in the depths of winter. They are such a sign of renewal and hope and a sure sign that spring is not so far away. The prospect of warmer days should also mean that the wretched virus finds it harder to survive.