This week has been the first of the year when I have really enjoyed being out in the garden. It feels like everything is coming back to life and I have a sense of excitement about the year ahead.

So it is a joy to join in with The Propagator’s Six on Saturday meme and share some of what I have been up to in our garden this week.

1. The new ‘hot bed’

Until recently this bed was almost entirely hidden by a giant box which had been allowed to grow too big. I felt it was wasted space as it is a south-east facing border in a north facing garden, so I took down the box in a rather cavalier fashion. This week I dug the whole bed over and finally planted a kniphofia which has been waiting patiently to be planted all winter. I am also planning dahlias, globe artichoke and black hollyhocks from Great Dixter for this bed.

2. The new shady border

I am gradually removing the carpet of celandine from under our west-facing fence and turning this into a new partial shade border, where I am planning to plant snowdrops in the green, pulmonaria, Vinca minor and Astrantia major and other plants that like shade with some sun in the afternoon.

3. Buried treasure

Ever since we moved in I have been at a loss as to what to do with the collapsed compost bin we inherited. I have a replacement bin sitting in our hallway waiting to be built (our host The Propagator is apparently very good at such things but I can’t afford his rates!) I decided to make a start this week by turning the old heap and have discovered that I have enough lovely rich compost to mulch the entire garden this spring (although I have also discovered some very strange bits and bobs that have been left in amongst the compost).

4. First tulips

None of our tulips are out yet but the one in this pot is the first promising to flower soon. It is left over from last year – from memory it is either Peter Nyssen’s ‘Angel’s Wish’ or ‘Candy Prince’. I know tulips are not supposed to flower so well in a pot the second year running but I never got round to changing this pot as in the summer it was hidden by the foliage of our fig tree.

5. Garlic shoots

I am thrilled to see the shoots of the Solent Late garlic I planted about three weeks ago poking through the soil of one of our raised beds.

6. First grape hyacinths

Never mind this weekend’s ‘ Mini Beast’, when the Muscari armeniacum which I planted alongside our front path come into flower I know that spring is here.

To find out what is happening in other gardener’s gardens why not pop over to The Propagator’s blog and take a look through the comments?

I am off now for a whole day of yoga, leaving Mr Carrot in charge of the Little Weeds. He may not be good for building composters, but he has his uses!