THOUSANDS of flowers have been counted in National Trust gardens across the country to mark the imminent arrival of spring.
The annual Valentine's Flower Count at the Swindon-based trust's gardens in Avebury and other scenic locales racked up a total of 2,352 plants in bloom, three per cent more than last year's event.
Ian Wright, the National Trust Garden’s advisor in the south west, said: "As a cure for those winter blues I’d like to prescribe to everyone a visit to a garden. Personally I find there is no better uplift for my sprits than visiting one of the many gardens our teams care for.
"Our gardens can be a healthy distraction from modern life and now’s a great time to visit with spring predicted to be just around the corner, so put your phone away and immerse yourself in some spring cheer.
"Comparing the number of plants across our gardens on a set day every year gives us a real insight into how our gardens respond to weather patterns, and is a useful barometer for the season ahead."
To visit a National Trust garden, go to nationaltrust.org.uk/southwest
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