Tulips at Chenonceau

One of the compensations for visiting early in the season is that the tulips will be in brightly coloured massed ranks in the cutting and vegetable garden at the chateau of Chenonceau. This photo was taken in late March a couple of years ago and no doubt the florists who create the ever changing and glorious floral arrangements inside the chateau were busy dreaming up spectacular creations to show these tulips off to their best.

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Orchid Conference: The Société Française d'Orchidophilie is having an international conference in Blois Saturday and Sunday 1-2 March in the Halle aux Grains. The theme is 'What is the future for orchids in their natural surroundings'. There will be an exhibition open to the public, to promote knowledge about orchids, to encourage people to value them and protect them and their habitat, and covering issues such as the proliferation of cheap commercially raised orchids.

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Les grues sont arrivées! Yesterday afternoon hundreds of cranes flew over Preuilly, on their way to their northern breeding grounds. I think there were some storks in amongst the crowd too. They came from the general direction of the Brenne and headed in the direction of Loches. Simon made a little video of some of them. Spring must be here!

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Au jardin hier: I pruned the grape vines. Our orchard neighbour arrived when I was nearly finished. He inspected my work and pronounced it not bad. Of course, according to him it was too warm to be pruning the vines (not sure quite what I'm supposed to do about that given the weather we've had) and I got told to cut a few spurs shorter, but mostly I'd got it right.

Looks like 5 species of orchid are up and forming leaf rosettes. The Winter Damselflies were everywhere and in good numbers. I disturbed the hare who had been hidden in the long vegetation. I never see it until it shoots out and away. It runs a long way always and I'm sorry it expends so much energy. The general level of squidginess in the soil has reduced remarkably quickly. In just two sunny days I am no longer slip-sliding up the track, but I bet it would be back breaking to try to dig still.