A spring love affair

“I love the feeling of optimism I get as the days get longer, when everything is bursting into life and being renewed. Knowing that the long, hazy days of summer lie ahead puts an extra bounce in my step. There’s nowhere quite like Britain in the spring.”

“Seeing the first buds on the magnolia tree in my neighbour’s garden. Daffodils at London’s Columbia Road flower market. Getting home from work before it gets dark. Not having to wear tights. The first asparagus… the list goes on!”

“The sense of renewal; that bubbling excitement when you suddenly smell the season changing in the air around you.”

“Watching the bulbs I planted at Christmas come to life in the garden. I become quite obsessive about seeing them grow, talk to them a lot, and look forward to displaying them in vases around our home. Who knew gardening was so rewarding?”

“The delicious new ingredients that come with the season, such as rhubarb, asparagus and watercress. I’m passionate about helping children to understand about seasonality, something that could easily be lost as it’s becoming increasingly harder to understand because most things are available all-year round. And poppies, which I chose as my wedding flowers, in muted soft tones, they’re just coming into season now, too.”

“The not-so-humble daffodil, hands down. With their big, joyous daft yellow trumpets, a bunch of daffs is my biggest simple pleasure. I love how they pop up randomly around the garden and it’s also the only time of year I buy myself flowers in abundance without feeling too decadent. A nice vibrant bunch of tulips come in a close second, of course.”

“Spring is always energising to me. No matter what has gone before it in my life, the new season presents as a fresh start, full of possibilities and the promise of fun to come. While summer may be my favourite time of year, spring is the uplifting warm-up act that gets me up on my feet again. I love the way I can almost feel the planet turning as the mornings lighten.”