The cherry plum is out again in early February; always the starting shot to the new Spring with its blizzard of pure white blossom. The verges are coming alive with celandine and the single badger sett on the top of the bank is freshly dug, spewing flinted earth on to the narrow lane. Swanley village churchyard is bright with blue iris, white snowdrop and pink crocus; these first flowers are only outdone by the silver balloons tied to a white picket fence around a new grave.