First signs of Spring in Cumbria

Looking out into the garden this afternoon we can see the first signs of spring.

After all the cold icy weather the first shoots and flowers are starting to appear indicating the winter will soon be behind us.

One of the first flowers to peak above the dark cold earth is the snowdrop.

Some gardeners are hoping that after the very hard frosts that this should be a good year for these and the the crocus.

For some reason a hard frost seems to help them have a good flowering season. In our garden this would seem true as the recent wet years have resulted in a poor crop of flowers.

The snowdrop is one of a small genus, around 20 species, called Galanthus.

Many snowdrops in the wild are protected due to them being rare.

Shoots

Many other plants are starting to break through and into the spring air.

Following the delicate white and green snowdrops comes the carpets of colour from the crocus. Often sunny garden  banks ripple with the small but stunning bright yellow, purple and white flowers.

After a few weeks these small low growing flowers give way to the spring garden heavyweights, the daffodils, narcissus and hyacinth.

Bright yellow daffodil trumpets herald the end of winter and the coming of summer sunshine whilst the heady perfume from the hyacinth sweeps away the damp stale winter air.

Primrose

Also taking part in the orchestral movement that is spring are the primrose, the Lesser Celandine and towards the end of March the bluebells.

In our garden we already have the primrose flowering.

With only a few weeks left of winter officially, let us hope we have seen the end to the cold weather and the short number of daylight hours.

Snowdrop open days

Colesbourne Park – Thousands of snowdrops in the gardens

Lytham Hall in Lancashire

Scottish Snowdrop festival