WELL, I am confused. I can't even begin to wonder what the plants are making of it. Earlier this week, the weather was so dry and mild that I even managed to cut my lawn.

What a difference that made to the garden. It was just a tip mow, but it took away all the left-over leaves and shaggy, tired-looking areas of grass. It inspired me to give the borders a tidy up. I trimmed back most of the dead growth that I had left over winter and gave the late flowering shrubs a shapely haircut. I managed to plant the Daphne that had been harbouring in its garden centre pot since before Christmas. It really needed to go into the ground before showing off its late winter display of violent purple fireworks. Being a lover of garden fragrance, I shall be looking forward to its mesmerising scent too. It is one to watch though, as the plant, and especially the bright shiny red berries, are quite toxic. It was once employed to alleviate toothache, headaches and rheumatic conditions, but is now considered too poisonous to use, even by experienced herbal practitioners.

In the front garden I got round to clipping back my nine-month-old lavender hedge. Despite being still quite young, the bushes had grown well during the summer and needed shaping already. You do really have to be quite strict with lavender. If it is left to get too leggy it can age really quickly. It doesn't respond well if you cut back into old wood, so you have to keep snipping at the new growth to keep it under control. I like to leave some of the summers flower spikes on over the winter to protect the plant from sharp frosts and to give the ladybirds a winter home. I save the cuttings and stuff them into old socks. These can be thrown into the pond in summer if the algae builds up too much.

The soil under the lavender is mulched with a thick layer of purple slate chippings. Whilst scrabbling around under the hedge picking up the lavender trimmings, I was brought to an immediate standstill by the absolute beauty of the emerging aconites. The bright yellow little globes shone out against the deep purple slate. It was one of those happy gardening accidents that you can never plan for or design.

That was all at the beginning of the week. Just a few days later and the whole lot is blanketed by snow. All those warm aspirations and spring-like dreams will have to be put back on hold again.

THINGS TO DO IN THE GARDEN THIS WEEK

l Brush away snow

Despite looking pretty, layered snow on branches and leaves can be quite hazardous to plants, shrubs and trees. The extra weight cause structural damage, the lack of light will stop the breathing and feeding mechanisms working and the physical contact may result in frostbite. In between making snowmen and flinging snowballs, take time to gently shake or brush off any clinging snow.

l Sow lettuce

Lettuce can be sown into trays in a warm greenhouse. Gently sprinkle the seeds onto moistened compost and sieve a thin layer of dry compost over the top. In a couple of weeks they will be ready for pricking out into pots.

l Check climbing supports

Most climbers remain dormant for the moment, but will soon start budding up for the year ahead. Now is a good time to mend, build, paint or stain their structural supports.

Brigid is on hand to answer your horticultural questions every Sunday morning on Radio Cleveland's Garden hour between 11am and midday