Ladybirds

Once the shopping had been delivered and put away and breakfast was over I decided it was time I did some gardening. Most of the shrubs were neglected last year as neither of us were able to do the garden properly and I had great plans today for the shrubs which needed attention.
 
I spent two and a half hours pruning hacking some shrubs that very unkempt and now have a large bonfire ready for burning. I spent more time than I planned on some shrubs in one of the borders in the orchard, some had died and the whole lot needed sorting out. I also found the Winter Aconites that I thought had disappeared. They do not appear to have flowered this year, but the leaves were green and bright. They should get more light now and hopefully next year they will once again produce flowers. I wanted to do more, but my back said “enough”, so if the weather is good tomorrow I will prune some more in one of our larger borders, which I had hoped I would get done today..
 
While carrying branches to the bonfire site I saw some ladybirds, there were four all near each other, but not close enough to get a picture of them together although I did get three which is one of the extras. Then in a different part of the garden I saw another one enjoying the sunshine. I sometimes wonder why, in England, we call them ladybirds when others call them ladybugs. After all, they do fly, but they are not birds they are beetles.
 
I think spring has arrived, yesterday I blipped two bees and today a ladybird, or may by I should have everything crossed that the cold and snow does not come back again.

Once again the sun shone all day, but it was still just eleven degrees Celsius in my garden at noon.