Spring draws in a little sooner in London than the surrounding counties. In the garden it's an opportunity to welcome some old favourites- and a few surprises. I was amazed to see the pink flowers of Cardamine quinquefolia starting to emerge. 

 There is a lovely patch of them at the South London Botanical Institute. Some time ago (five years or so?) one of their gardeners gave me a small clump about the size of the palm of my hand. I planted it and then... nothing. Or so I thought. 

 A few weeks ago I noticed the appearance of some toothy low growing foliage. The penny didn't drop despite the five-lobed leaves i.e. "quinquefolia". Anyway, I was thrilled when I saw the first flowers and realised what I was looking at. Moreover the leaves are popping up across an area about a metre square so it seems to have been spreading steadily and biding it's time...