Where has spring gone?

This year winter seems to drag on and on. We had a brief spell of warmer spring-like weather last week which brought out the frogs which started breeding in the pond. The hedgehog was back as well, snuffling around under the bird feeders for any crumbs the birds might have dropped. I have also seen a few more bumblebee queens flying around, visiting all the crocuses which had opened their flowers in the sunshine. Native primroses were in full flower and some of the early-flowering perennials such as Lamium orvala started growing nicely. This is all covered by snow now.
 

Crocuses in full flower just a week ago

I spent a few hours last Friday to cover some of the more precious perennials such as Kniphofia and Eremurus and also the young perennials which were planted a few weeks ago. I also covered the rhubarb and harvested the bigger stalks for a nice rhubarb crumble. The frog spawn went into a bucket which I put in the shed to save it from freezing. Fingers crossed everything survives.

Frogs happily breeding in the allotment pond last week

Below are some pictures from the allotment I took at the weekend.

Daffodils still providing a splash of colour in the snow

The allotment last weekend, all covered in snow

Garlic leaves sticking out of the snow next to the cold frame

A little blue tit eating some peanuts

The allotment pond, good I rescued the frog spawn

This is all what is visible of the primroses

The allotment seen from the back

Another happy blue tit

Red kites circling the allotment to look for food

This is all what is visible of the crocuses

Some more crocuses sticking out of the snow

A snow rat relaxing on my picnic bench :-)

Lets hope spring will arrive soon. Cannot wait to see the allotment come back to life :-).