One of the pleasures of purchasing a new property in winter is inheriting its garden and seeing what flora will appear when Spring returns. In addition to the flowers we have added we have also become owners of a variety of fruit trees and shrubs. These include apple, pear and cherry. Everyday springs new surprises upon us as more natural fireworks from our blossoms are displayed.

Our land extends into the surrounding forests and the other day a lady visitor turned up promising a jar of honey since she’d had an arrangement with the previous owners to keep her beehives on part of our property. Another surprise. We had, time ago, thought of raising bees in our old house but never did. Maybe that might happen now?

One thing is sure, however; we have started on our new ‘orto’, or kitchen garden, in this incredibly strange first quarter of 2022 when hardly any snow has fallen and where there has been just a sprinkling of rain.