signs of spring

At last it feels as though spring is about to spring! 

There are a few brave flowers battling the weather and I actually saw a Peacock butterfly basking in the sun next to the clump of crocus yesterday. It flew off before I could get a photo. 

A quick walk round my garden this morning before the rain started in earnest again showed some glimmers of hope amongst the scenes of devastation. The tulip bulbs are shooting up as are the crocus and daffodils. Also the rose cuttings seem to have survived so far. The kaffir lilies are going over now but the hellebores are just starting. I divided them last year and the babies have survived although they are not as far advanced as their parents. The elephant's ears are in full flower now doing a valiant job diverting attention from the timber yard covering the front lawn. I think it will take the next 10 years to cut all the wood especially if this rain doesn't stop soon, ,electric chain saws and rain do not mix.
In the back garden I have completed the devastation by demolishing the arch which was collapsing under the weight of the clematis. Unfortunately the clematis decided to take the pink jasmine with it so in order to save the clematis  the jasmine had to be sacrificed. I intend to rebuild the archway when the weather permits.
There is a lot of weeding and tidying to do but it is just too wet to do anything yet, it's all very depressing out there at the moment but at least it's not under water like so many houses, gardens and farms are at the moment. My thoughts go out to everyone who has so much more water to worry about at the moment.