I interviewed the late, great Robin Williams once, and he was, exactly as you might imagine. Gloriously chaotic, hysterically funny, and completely enthusiastic about everything.

Especially Spring. It was a glorious spring day when I interviewed him and he was staying in a particularly nice hotel on the Sydney Harbour with a view of the Coathanger and the Opera House and he was giddy with delight about it all.

How beautiful, he kept saying, how lovely it is here. And it was lovely, and so was he and I was, like so many other people, really sad when I heard he had died.

But before he died, how much love did he spread in the world? How much laughter? How much joy?

If a life was measured by those things instead of years, I think we could say Robin Williams lives on today.

Instead, he leaves us with some memorable performances, and some great one liners, including his quote about his wilder days “Cocaine is God’s way of telling you’re making too much money”. It’s one of his best known ones, but I far prefer another of his – “Spring is nature’s way of saying ‘Let’s party!’

And so it is.

I think of Robin Williams this time of year, every year, when Spring has sprung and nature is shaking off winter and when my garden, such as it is, starts to show its true colours.

As I write this, I am looking out my window to a wild and sprawling star jasmine, its white flowers tumbling down our rockery like falling snow and its scent through my open window sharp and heady.

The freesia bulbs I planted with crossed fingers last year are peeping through the soil with green tips of promise, and our lilly pillies are scattered with red berries like ornaments on a Christmas tree.

Any day now, the pink trumpet tree that stands guard at the front of our house should start trumpeting, announcing its arrival with a shower of showy, bright pink flowers.

Our street is lined with white bauhinias, like brides arriving at their wedding reception, ready to kick off their heels and dance.

Robin Williams was right, Spring is nature’s way of saying ‘Let’s Party!’, and to me it says something else too.

If our seasons had sounds I think Summer is a shout, Autumn is a murmur, and Winter a soft snore, but Spring?

Spring is a whisper. Spring is a “Get ready” in our ear. Spring scents are filled with promise. With new starts. With a feeling – at least for me – of anything can happen.

I find Spring the most hopeful of seasons, a yearly reminder that no matter how grey – figuratively and literally the days before have been – there is always a riot of colour just around the corner.

Wilson and I have been getting out there amongst it this Spring, walking through trails we haven’t been to before, exploring creek beds and sniffing our way through parks (Wilson, not me) and there is, if you’ll pardon the pun, a spring in our steps.

I hope there’s a spring in yours too. So here’s to new beginnings to us all, happy Spring everyone, from me, Wilson, (and Robin Williams) to you.

Fran Loves: Trinny London cosmetics and skincare. I was recently fortunate enough to be given a Trinny makeover and wow! I’m not a beauty influencer by a looooooooong shot, but honestly, wearing this product made me feel like I could be!