On 17/02/2013 15:48, Sacha wrote:
We did a little tour this afternoon and were pleasantly surprised at
what is showing signs of life and/or actually flowering, apart from
snowdrops and some early daffs. The Persicaria Red Dragon is pushing
through well (why more people don't grow this I don't understand!)
Oemleria cerasiformis is flowering well, Lonicera tatarica is starting
to show signs of life, an unknown white Malus (?) is flowering, Camellia
Takanini, a wonderful plant that we got from Trehane, is flowering
brilliantly and C. Cherub is just starting to show some colour but lots
of the other Camellias are still in tight bud. One of our un-named
Rhododendrons, a pink one, has been in flower for a couple of weeks now,
Iris sibirica has never flowered better than this year and of course
there's Vinca in flower to a greater or lesser extent, all over the place!

Nothing much here, crocus flowering, daffs in vertical bud, snowdrops
still keeping their heads well down, no leaves over an inch tall, but
there is a dandelion in full flower.
The birds are showing signs of spring but all camellias are not even
showing a flush of colour on the buds, they look as if they won't do
anything till April, though some of the Hawthorn buds are swelling well.
Locally there is Hazel with catkins hanging 2 to 3 inches long and a
winter almond tree solid in flower.
Crazy.