Searching for spring

The sun managed to peep out today for a little while in the afternoon.
It has been a rather dull week, desperately looking for some sign that March means spring, which to be honest, up here in the North it really doesn't.
However, I seized the hour and headed into the garden to do a little more weeding and play with the dogs.
I noticed that my precious Delphiniums had boldly stuck their noses out, and the slugs have already been at them, so I dealt with that, and a faint waft of scent came my way.
Looking up, I spotted the first flower bud on my Daphne mezerium has opened.
This is a native flowering shrub found in a few woodlands in this area, now quite endangered, because of poor woodland management and over grazing by deer.
My plants are carefully nurtured seedlings, and will serve as mother plants for a reintroduction programme that is underway. These things take a long time, as seedlings take up to five years to get to a reasonable size for planting out. It is good to see them thriving.
I see Merlin has photo bombed again!