Warmer weather and the lack of ice may have brought forth the crocus and daffodils earlier than usual this year.
With the snowdrops very much in evidence in protected groves and woodlands it is great to see the crocus and daffodils, or are they narcissus, in full bloom.
The purple, yellow and white crocus flowers are an ideal height for me to peer into and get some sniffs. They are also just low enough to go right under my tummy as I walk through the large patches of them in Victoria Park in Carlisle.
Early crocus
Looking back through this website I was keen to see if the flowers are out earlier this year, and it would appear that they are.
Last year, 2013, we published an article featuring frogspawn and crocus at the start of April. So we are almost five weeks earlier this year.
Further back and during February 2009 in an article entitled, Flowers, updates and floating humans, we featured the Victoria Park crocus in February. On the 28th to be exact. So around this time of year give or take a few days.
What the three articles do indicate is the wide change in conditions we have been experiencing over the last few years. This winter I think we have only had two or three days of frost.
Early daffodils
With their bright golden trumpets nodding in the late morning breeze, these daffodils were spotted sheltering behind a large tree in nearby Bitts Park.
Measuring around 30cm tall these miniature plants were in full bloom against the muddy earth. Not a struggle for them to get in to the open air the year with the ground being so wet.
So with the snowdrops fading and the daffodils taking over it looks like it could be an early start to spring this year.
Until next time
Licks and wags
Charlie