Thanks for the comments, all.
Dave, that realistion that nature just gets on with it is something I have been feeling strongly of late.
People wax lyrical about the colours of autumn but I have always found it a rather depressing time to see the countryside shutting down for the end of the season and after working for my entire career in the field of forestry and woodland management with woodland creation as my particular specialism, I have never been so eager to see the buds bursting out as I have this year.