The Darling Buds of February.

It's never wise to predict the arrival of Spring, but we have Daffs beginning to poke their heads above ground, apparently Cranes have been seen overhead, returning to their breeding grounds, and our Prunus tree buds (in this case a small red fleshed Plum) are swelling.

It's at this time of year that the Peaches also start to think about flowering, and Mother Nature can be a right bitch.

Plenty of warm daytime sunshine and they are fooled into thinking it's OK to flower, then along she comes and throws some -6 C temperatures at them; and no fruit for another year.

It's for this reason that I try to plant late flowering varieties of all our fruit trees.

C'est la vie!

p.s. With another grandchild about to arrive, my thoughts have turned to what fruit tree I will plant to mark the event; I always plant a tree on the day of arrival.

I recently bought some apples from my favourite supermarket; they were a new variety to me called Pink Kiss.

They are delicious. Medium sweet, very perfumed, a pleasant crunch, good flavour, and a fabulous colour; what more could one ask for!

I went hot-foot to my horticultural supplier, and she disappointingly informed me that they are not available. They are sold only in large numbers to commercial growers. I will have to wait several years for them to come on the market.

So, instead I'll probably go for a Royal Gala.