Setting off for work in the morning in daylight is a small pleasure in February, but this morning I set off in sunshine.

There were tiny leaf buds glistening on shrubs and trees all over the garden and the promise of spring was everywhere.

The garden is calling and there are lots of vital jobs that need to be done to prepare the garden for the growing season.

One job I must tackle this weekend is to cut down a tall stand of rosehips which are now past their best and need to be brought under control.

On bright days through the winter, the shining scarlet hips were set against the blue sky to dramatic effect.

But now they are going black and need cutting right back to the top of the fence.

They will grow again and be topped by beautiful red roses in the summer.

The weather has caused some structural damage in the garden which will need some investment.

A hazel trellis has disintegrated and must be replaced and the reed matting I use to screen my compost heaps has been shredded by the wind.

A number of terracotta flowerpots are surrounded by broken shards – damaged by the hard frosts.

Some minor repairs to ensure climbers are properly attached to fences are also needed.

My great hope is that the sunshine this morning will hold out until the weekend, allowing me to get out and complete some of these tasks.

Now is the time to cut down ornamental grasses to make way for the new growth to take over.

And the next big event in the flower beds will be the arrival of the hellebores.

There are hellebores on sale now in garden stores and centres and this is the best time to choose your favourite colours.

The darkest colours – some almost black – get lost at a distance so its is a good idea to plant them near the house.

The whites and pinks brighten up shady spots further down the garden.

Now is a good time to split and divide perennials in the garden to give them a head start when the soil starts to warm up.

And snowdrop clumps are best split now and replanted “in the green” while the leaves are still visible and fresh.

The sap is rising, the buds are bursting and spring is nearly here.

It time to pull on a warm woolly and get outside – there are so many jobs to do.

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