Snowdrops are in bloom

[EmmaLou]

I was helping weed a garden in Hemel Hempstead last week - to my surprise I found a small clump of snowdrops already in bloom! Can't say I have ever seen them at this time of year! ???

[EmmaLou]

[Robert_Brenchley]

I'm assuming you mean normal snowdrops; there is a specific species (Galanthus reginae-olgae) which is supposed to flower in autumn. http://rareplants.co.uk/product.asp?numRecordPosition=50&P_ID=554&strPageHistory=&strKeywords=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=426

[teresa]

Oh at £8.50 each bulb go back with trowel and do some more weeding.

[shirlton]

everything seems to be confused this year. I put a pic of a flowering cactus on a few weeks ago that I had kept in the garden for the summer as usual. It was full of bloom and is now budding up again. Usually it starts putting new leaves out after blooming

[busy_lizzie]

There is a lavender bush in flower in next doors garden, which is strange to see this time of year.  ??? busy_lizzie

[norfolklass]

The hawthorn hedge in my garden has a few flowers on it at the moment, and I also spotted a flowering cherry with a couple of branches of blossom on my walk to work this morning.

[wahaj]

Oh at £8.50 each bulb go back with trowel and do some more weeding.

lmao. I'm always tempted to do that when the council make their displays along the roads. but i can never bring myself to steal so blatantly lol.

[EmmaLou]

I guess there could be a chance they are those, but friend seems to think they were in flower in the spring.

I think that short bit of freezing weather and then sudden warmth has tricked our little spring friends into flowering!

What a strange year it is - what with Magnolias fruiting etc etc.

[wahaj]

This is an interesting thread. This guy's taken pictures of his garden....and he's got very clear signs of all 4 seasons happening right now. Take a look:

http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=002416

freaky. if daffs are flowering now...what's gonna happen to them? are they going to flower again in spring? will they have enough energy to flower again?...and if not....and next year we have a really cold winter....they'd be waiting a long time before flowering.

madness!

[shirlton]

Look at this flowering again in my front garden. The tree behind is a silver birch losing its leaves

[wahaj]

christ! though i love yuccas....especially when they flower.


On a more serious note though. I know it's facinating for everyone to see things popping up when they shouldn't....but what does this mean?

Things flowering out of season won't have nearly enough energy when their real season arrives. Harmfull insects like whitefly wont get killed off if we dont have severe frosts and so will cause a lot of damage the year after to already weakened plants.

And what about hibernating animals....and migraters. Are we gong to see spring birds arriving and starting nests? Birds are already under a lot of stress as spring is arriving earlier and earlier every year.

[saddad]

We inherited a large snowdrop that flowers for Christmas....
We had normal ones in a shady spot on one allotment but after two years of people digging up clumps we brought them back into the garden!

[Larkspur]

I noticed yesterday that my rhododendron bush is coming into flower :o. Mind you, the heavy frost this morning might remind it what time of year it is ;).

[Robert_Brenchley]

My snowdrops are quite normal for the time of year; if I'm weeding round them I find bulbs with roots and a little leaf emerging.

[saddad]

I agree Rob., no real sign of spring bulbs around here but the Rosemary is in flower!
:o

[Robert_Brenchley]

None of my daffs along the lane is visible, but it'll be interesting to see what flowering times are next spring. I've just added a few Tulipa acuminata from Deeds; they're lovely fat bulbs, I can't wait to see the flowers.

[Mrs Ava]

There is a cherry tree along our road in full bloom at the moment.  Looks great, if a little odd!

[adrianhumph]

Hi all,
         Visited Wisley gardens on Wednesday, loads of camelias in flower ??? I guess this means they will not flower in the spring?

                                                                     Adrian.

[Deeds]

Could well be  a Camellia  sasanqua variety, glorious scent too :).  They normally flower in autumn.

One of the Camellia japonica varieties I have (15' tall) is usually in flower on Christmas day, and a small posy decorates the dining table for Christmas dinner ;D

[fluffygrue]

Well.. on a cheerier note, absolutely nothing out of the ordinary is happening in my Manc garden. And I've not seen anything odd in local gardens, either. :)