February flowers

Our evergreen Clematis cirrhosa 'Balearica' frames the bedroom window with its lacy, fern-like leaves and creamy bell-shaped flowers, each interior freckled with pale purple spots. I've always dreamed of flowers round the window; unfortunately, this hardy climber will have to be ruthlessly pruned as it is now well-established in the gutter and is confidently invading the attic. It is the prettiest plant, but its delicacy masks a thug-like nature, once it's happily established.

Also coming into flower just now is another evergreen love of mine, Daphne odora 'Aureomarginata'. We have several low-growing mounds of this shrub, which have all thankfully, survived the heavy snow and ice. Its shiny green leaves are attractively edged with pale gold, and the perfume of the tiny pink flowers is exquisite, deliciously filling the air, near our front and back doors.

Of course, the snowdrops and hellebores are also coming into full flower. We have a lovely range of hybrid hellebores: dusky purple, pink, creamy white and speckled pale lime... there's a photo of me holding some in the slide-show below.