The early primroses are out in their usual spot a couple of miles from
here. I don't know when they emerged this year, as I haven't been that
way for a few weeks but last year they were out on 5th January. And I
noticed magpies are definitely pairing up, unless of course, they're
like that all the time in or out of the breeding season! Even the
rooks seemed to be doing their jostling for space and cawing loudly
stuff two days ago and the tawny owl was making a real racket last
night.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On Thu, 16 Jan 2014 16:42:56 +0000, Sacha
wrote:

The early primroses are out in their usual spot a couple of miles from
here. I don't know when they emerged this year, as I haven't been that
way for a few weeks but last year they were out on 5th January. And I
noticed magpies are definitely pairing up, unless of course, they're
like that all the time in or out of the breeding season! Even the
rooks seemed to be doing their jostling for space and cawing loudly
stuff two days ago and the tawny owl was making a real racket last
night.

I have one small clump of primroses and noticed a bud half open
yesterday. I've not been near it today as it never stopped raining!

Pam in Bristol

On Thu, 16 Jan 2014 16:42:56 +0000, Sacha
wrote:

The early primroses are out in their usual spot a couple of miles from
here. I don't know when they emerged this year, as I haven't been that
way for a few weeks but last year they were out on 5th January. And I
noticed magpies are definitely pairing up, unless of course, they're
like that all the time in or out of the breeding season! Even the
rooks seemed to be doing their jostling for space and cawing loudly
stuff two days ago and the tawny owl was making a real racket last
night.


I've observed a blackbird and hen that I think are a pair. They're
taking it in turns to visit. Makes me wonder if they've got eggs on
the go already.
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

More remarkable is that the hazel catkins are already open. The male ones, that is - the female flowers aren't so much in evidence.

On 2014-01-17 13:36:23 +0000, kay said:

'Pam Moore[_2_ Wrote:
;997559']On Thu, 16 Jan 2014 16:42:56 +0000, Sacha

wrote:
-
The early primroses are out in their usual spot a couple of miles from
here. I don't know when they emerged this year, as I haven't been that

way for a few weeks but last year they were out on 5th January. And I
noticed magpies are definitely pairing up, unless of course, they're
like that all the time in or out of the breeding season! Even the
rooks seemed to be doing their jostling for space and cawing loudly
stuff two days ago and the tawny owl was making a real racket last
night.-

I have one small clump of primroses and noticed a bud half open
yesterday. I've not been near it today as it never stopped raining!



More remarkable is that the hazel catkins are already open. The male
ones, that is - the female flowers aren't so much in evidence.

Yes, I've seen a few of those about, too. What will happen about
pollenation, I wonder,or is it windborne in their case?
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On Thu, 16 Jan 2014 16:42:56 +0000, Sacha wrote:

The early primroses are out in their usual spot a couple of miles from
here.

The snow drops and daffs are sort of poking through, they are the
only things showing any signs of fresh life. I'll let you know when
they flower. It's normally a good couple of months from now...

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 2014-01-17 23:43:29 +0000, Dave Liquorice said:

On Thu, 16 Jan 2014 16:42:56 +0000, Sacha wrote:

The early primroses are out in their usual spot a couple of miles from
here.

The snow drops and daffs are sort of poking through, they are the
only things showing any signs of fresh life. I'll let you know when
they flower. It's normally a good couple of months from now...

Our snowdrops are coming up fast and a few are showing colour. We have
no idea what varieties they are but some are much later than others.
Tête à Tête daffs have been pushing their leaves through for some time
and a few tulips in pots are just showing their noses.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On 17/01/2014 23:43, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Thu, 16 Jan 2014 16:42:56 +0000, Sacha wrote:

The early primroses are out in their usual spot a couple of miles from
here.

The snow drops and daffs are sort of poking through, they are the
only things showing any signs of fresh life. I'll let you know when
they flower. It's normally a good couple of months from now...

Well the early daffs I planted are mostly well up though one variety has
only just started to poke through. I have a few stems where the flower
buds will be turning their heads over in the next few days and with luck
will be open before the end of January,
David @ a wet side of Swansea Bay where more rain is due this morning.

On Fri, 17 Jan 2014 15:53:29 +0000, sacha wrote:

On 2014-01-17 13:36:23 +0000, kay said:

[]
More remarkable is that the hazel catkins are already open. The male
ones, that is - the female flowers aren't so much in evidence.

Yes, I've seen a few of those about, too. What will happen about
pollenation, I wonder,or is it windborne in their case?

The catkins are well out. I haven't noticed any of the wild primroses,
but the cultivated ones are blooming away.

Today noticed forsythia starting to bloom. Only a few flowers, but...

-E

--
Gardening in Lower Normandy

On Sat, 18 Jan 2014 09:57:05 +0000, David Hill wrote:

On 17/01/2014 23:43, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Thu, 16 Jan 2014 16:42:56 +0000, Sacha wrote:

The early primroses are out in their usual spot a couple of miles from
here.

The snow drops and daffs are sort of poking through, they are the only
things showing any signs of fresh life. I'll let you know when they
flower. It's normally a good couple of months from now...

Well the early daffs I planted are mostly well up though one variety has
only just started to poke through. I have a few stems where the flower
buds will be turning their heads over in the next few days and with luck
will be open before the end of January,
David @ a wet side of Swansea Bay where more rain is due this morning.

Snowdrops already blooming here, some daffs well along with visible buds
on the early narcissus. Very whacky, there's still a fuschia blooming
from last summer! Normally dies back to ground. (Of course I still
expect that to happen, hopefully!)

-E



--
Gardening in Lower Normandy

On 2014-01-18 17:14:37 +0000, Emery Davis said:

On Fri, 17 Jan 2014 15:53:29 +0000, sacha wrote:

On 2014-01-17 13:36:23 +0000, kay said:

[]
More remarkable is that the hazel catkins are already open. The male
ones, that is - the female flowers aren't so much in evidence.

Yes, I've seen a few of those about, too. What will happen about
pollenation, I wonder,or is it windborne in their case?

The catkins are well out. I haven't noticed any of the wild primroses,
but the cultivated ones are blooming away.

Today noticed forsythia starting to bloom. Only a few flowers, but...

-E

The blackbirds are definitely thinking about mating. We watched a male
blackbird chasing a female around for ages in one of the greenhouses
today. Eventually, he flew outside, rather by accident, we think and
she spent some time going back and forth, watching him, as if to tell
him how hopeless he is!
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.co.uk...
On Thu, 16 Jan 2014 16:42:56 +0000, Sacha wrote:

The early primroses are out in their usual spot a couple of miles from
here.

The snow drops and daffs are sort of poking through, they are the
only things showing any signs of fresh life. I'll let you know when
they flower. It's normally a good couple of months from now...

The daffs have been 'poling through' for about 3 weeks here, and a few are
almost in flower (elongated yellow bud stage). They are about a month early.

Planted snowdrops from bulbs last October. Only about 20% of these have come
up which is disappointing, and about half of those have just started
flowering and the other half look blind. Quite a few of the planted bulbs
ended up lying on the soil so something has had had a go at them

On 18/01/2014 17:19, Sacha wrote:
On 2014-01-18 17:14:37 +0000, Emery Davis said:

On Fri, 17 Jan 2014 15:53:29 +0000, sacha wrote:

On 2014-01-17 13:36:23 +0000, kay said:

[]
More remarkable is that the hazel catkins are already open. The male
ones, that is - the female flowers aren't so much in evidence.

Yes, I've seen a few of those about, too. What will happen about
pollenation, I wonder,or is it windborne in their case?

The catkins are well out. I haven't noticed any of the wild primroses,
but the cultivated ones are blooming away.

Today noticed forsythia starting to bloom. Only a few flowers, but...

-E

The blackbirds are definitely thinking about mating. We watched a male
blackbird chasing a female around for ages in one of the greenhouses
today. Eventually, he flew outside, rather by accident, we think and she
spent some time going back and forth, watching him, as if to tell him
how hopeless he is!

Round here we have the odd hazel with catkins showing yellow but most
are holding tight and closed,
There are about 6 blackbirds squabbling over territory or something and
making a hell of a racket, of course they could be fighting over a small
dry patch that someone has found.
David @ a still very wet side of Swansea Bay.

On 2014-01-18 18:31:09 +0000, David Hill said:

On 18/01/2014 17:19, Sacha wrote:
On 2014-01-18 17:14:37 +0000, Emery Davis said:

On Fri, 17 Jan 2014 15:53:29 +0000, sacha wrote:

On 2014-01-17 13:36:23 +0000, kay said:

[]
More remarkable is that the hazel catkins are already open. The male
ones, that is - the female flowers aren't so much in evidence.

Yes, I've seen a few of those about, too. What will happen about
pollenation, I wonder,or is it windborne in their case?

The catkins are well out. I haven't noticed any of the wild primroses,
but the cultivated ones are blooming away.

Today noticed forsythia starting to bloom. Only a few flowers, but...

-E

The blackbirds are definitely thinking about mating. We watched a male
blackbird chasing a female around for ages in one of the greenhouses
today. Eventually, he flew outside, rather by accident, we think and she
spent some time going back and forth, watching him, as if to tell him
how hopeless he is!

Round here we have the odd hazel with catkins showing yellow but most
are holding tight and closed,
There are about 6 blackbirds squabbling over territory or something and
making a hell of a racket, of course they could be fighting over a
small dry patch that someone has found.
David @ a still very wet side of Swansea Bay.

I doubt we're dryer here, David, or not much! Water is running down
the lanes and the nursery paths but thank goodness we are on a slope
and surrounded by fields!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On 16/01/2014 16:42, Sacha wrote:
The early primroses are out in their usual spot a couple of miles from
here. I don't know when they emerged this year, as I haven't been that
way for a few weeks but last year they were out on 5th January. And I
noticed magpies are definitely pairing up, unless of course, they're
like that all the time in or out of the breeding season! Even the rooks
seemed to be doing their jostling for space and cawing loudly stuff two
days ago and the tawny owl was making a real racket last night.
Went to my plot today and noticed a neighbour has a pink rose bush in
full bloom. What is happening?

--
Pete C
SELondon/Kent border
adventure before dementure
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Secon...57749060989952