Panzies putting on a show

AT the end of the autumn, there were little panzy plants for sale at the local supermarket.  I bought a few to make the allotment look a bit more cheery as winter drew in.  We had a really mild December, and I was rewarded with panzies right through to new year.  Then came three weeks of permafrost with temperatures down to -19C and the panzies duly withered away.  Fair enough.

Panzies back from the dead

But here's the thing ... either someone has sneaked in and replaced the dead panzies with new ones or they have all magically come back to life, and burst into full flower.  I'll go with the coming back to life version; it fits somehow with the time of year.

I have decided to add panzies to dahlias in the list of acceptable flowers to be grown at the allotment.

Over in the raised bed (home to the currant bushes and last year's beetroot) there are also signs of life.  The final poppy plant waiting for transplantation to a tub at home is looking very well, and the first of the currant bushes is full of fresh new leaves.  The other two bushes (different cultivars) are a bit further behind.

Currant bush and poppy in raised bed

With the eye of faith, it is even possible to make out a self-sewn leek plant in the centre of the bed.  I think it's Blauer Wunder or something like that.

The beech hedges are also setting leaf and look full of life (apart from the dead bits, that is).

Beech hedge