Despite the Spring Equinox having passed, the country is still in the grip of a bitterly cold Continental air flow. Temperatures are well below the seasonal average, and snow still figures prominently in weather forecasts.
Wild Primrose (Photo credit: Alan Rowley Photos)
There are, however, signs that Spring has arrived, if you look closely. In the gardens of Bracken House, blackbirds are gathering nest material, mallards are mating on the pond and Spring bulbs are flowering. The first of the bulbs to flower were the snowdrops, as always. They have been in flower since February, followed closely by some narcissi and tulips planted in a warm spot next to the house.
Lesser Celandine (Photo credit: Alan Rowley Photos)
In the meadows, wild primrose have also been flowering for a couple of weeks, as has the lesser celandine, a low growing perennial with yellow flowers. A few of the trees have now started to develop leaf buds. Even the hedges that have recently been trimmed back sharply are showing signs of buds. The wild rose hedge around the paddock is also breaking into leaf.
In the vegetable patch, little work has been possible due to the weather and the grazing fields are still very wet. All that is needed is a few days of warm sun and drying winds and nature will soon catch up lost ground.
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