The one good thing about storms is that the fallen trees generate plenty of woodchips to spread to soak up the puddles. That’s OK for the car park, but it doesn’t help with the waterlogged grass of the croquet lawn and the Glade, so with huge sadness we had to cancel the first Open Thursday of the season, as well as the last two Snowdrop Open Days. Not a great start to the season. But we gardeners are resilient, so we are already looking forward again. The daffodils are coming out throughout the Gardens and it is beginning to feel a little warm when the sun shines.