Early Flowers

We just took a gentle hike around our woodland trails and whilst we expected to see the wild Leeks to be up trough we did not expect to see many woodland flowers out yet. The recent unprecedented hot spell with temperatures 20c or more above 'normal' for almost a week not only has us wondering what time of year it is but apparently has ma nature a little confused as well.

During our stroll we not only saw massive clumps of Hepatica in flower which are always one of the first flowers to be seen but also Yellow, Long-spurred and Dog Violets as well as Bloodroot in flower. This is at least 4 weeks early and some of the Violets often don’t show until early May! We also saw Blue Cohosh, Toothwort and Showy Ochhid starting to leaf out.

The Song Sparrow has been here for several weeks as has the Robin and we saw a Bluebird passing through just a few days ago, these guys are also two to four weeks earlier than we have seen them before. Sure its a little cooler this week with frost forecast for a couple of nights which is 'seasonal normal' but this is nuts, I am usually just starting a few perennials and tomatoes in my heated propagator about now ready to put out late May, the way things are going I am starting to wonder if I should be direct sowing outside instead.

Argue about Global Warming all you like, all I know is we have busted every temperature record on the books this month and not by just a little bit, Ma Nature says its already time for spring colours and birdsong and I for one am not displeased with her early presentation.