It is interesting to me to see the excitement that the signs of spring
produce in cool/cold temperate climate gardeners. I am used to Sydney
coastal, a warm temperate climate with a strong seaside influence and,
except for drought times, there is significant rain in all months of the
year. This means: no snow at all and frost about once in twenty years.

Now the weather is very mild (20 to 25 C, 68 to 77F), in summer it is
somewhat hotter (say 22 to 30 C, 72 to 86 F mostly) and in winter
somewhat colder (say 10 to 20 C, 50 to 68 F mostly). Our seasons are
almost non existent compared with yours. I used to surf all year round
and tens of thousands play football and netball outdoors through the
winter.

The nearest I know to real seasons is Canberra where the winters get
down to 7 to -5 C (50 to 23 F) with heavy frost and sometimes snow on
the hills but rarely in town. Not severe conditions really but enough to
grow all the european plants that require chill and to turn the leaves
gold-red about this time. Summer there is hot (25 to 40 C, 77 to 104 F)
and dry so it is not very uncomfortable but you have to water often.

Who would swap their pronounced seasons for equable Sydney?

David