Probably premature for the northern folk, but for us true southerners I think it's time to get the annual signs of spring thread going. February is just around the corner!

Well the daffodil shoots are getting bigger by the day now, and some early types are even in bud. 

Whist out yesterday I saw a number of yellow crocuses in flower along the green verge.  

The birds are also making their ever increasing numbers heard.

I had to fight off the temptation to break out the petrol lawn mower today, I think I might find myself giving the lawn the first cut of the season tomorrow if it stays dry and sunny.

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Yes, in fact I have a climbing rose still in flower- lots of crocus and daffodils showing their heads and snowdrops in full flower. It won't be long to those warmer days.... can't wait to say goodbye to this decrepit winter

Snowdrops in the garden are starting to open here. Encouraging signs!

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I thought snow drops were a winter flower? 😕

Roses flowering throughout winter is normal down here though some like to trim them back in autumn.

The only daffodils in flower are the early (winter) types, but these tend to be smaller; rarely much more then a foot in hight.

The grass on local fields is surprisingly healthy looking given the time of year. Round these parts its often waterlogged come January as we have heavy clay soils, and we're flat.

I thought snow drops were a winter flower? 😕

Roses flowering throughout winter is normal down here though some like to trim them back in autumn.

The only daffodils in flower are the early (winter) types, but these tend to be smaller; rarely much more then a foot in hight.

The grass on local fields is surprisingly healthy looking given the time of year. Round these parts its often waterlogged come January as we have heavy clay soils, and we're flat.

Ground still frozen here after yet another ground frost...... not many signs of Spring in my neck of the woods 

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Not really a sign of spring, more an observation, but I went for a lunchtime walk as its a beauftiful day.

In the shade it still feels like winter, but walking in the sun there was some definite warmth today and a feeling of a bit more strength to the sun which I have not noticed so far this year. Very pleasant..

My local golf course has kept twice weekly mowing throughout this "winter" of the fairways and greens, for the first time ever!

Yes it's been exceptionally mild, but also exceptionally dry.

Clematis getting its new growth

New buds still coming on the roses and most of the daffs and poking through the ground now

Becoming more and more common now during our extended Autumn's

I had to fight off the temptation to break out the petrol lawn mower today, I think I might find myself giving the lawn the first cut of the season tomorrow if it stays dry and sunny.

Ian, in even your SE part of the UK I can't believe your lawn in growing, let alone growing enough to require even a light cut. Methinks you're exaggerating

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Ian, in even your SE part of the UK I can't believe your lawn in growing, let alone growing enough to require even a light cut. Methinks you're exaggerating

why would it not need mown? So long as it's not prone to waterlogging then it will need mown.

Well here are (poor camera phone) some shots of crocuses growing amongst the nice looking grass...

 

My local golf course has kept twice weekly mowing throughout this "winter" of the fairways and greens, for the first time ever!

Yes it's been exceptionally mild, but also exceptionally dry.

it most certainly hasn't been "exceptionally" mild this winter in Portsmouth - more average. And I was up by eastern road golf course this afternoon and the ground is frozen in the shaded woodland adjacent to the course.  

 

 

 

Though it's still a bit on the chilly side, it feels somewhat like early spring today actually, with light winds and sunshine in Manchester this afternoon. I've just noticed that some daffodils are starting to push up too.

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Well here are (poor camera phone) some shots of crocuses growing amongst the nice looking grass...

This looks like late March here. 

Snowdrop shoots just peeping through.
Have seen them in bloom by last week of January but not this year it will be mid-Feb like most years.

Nothing else much is springlike but birds are singing again especially Thrushes and Robins.

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Well it's been a beautiful few days, but very cold and frosty. A bit of a shock to the system as we've been getting used to London and the SE being the warmest part of the country.

One sure sign of late winter / early spring: the falling humidity, as the oceans lose their Autumn heat. A few places at -6 DP today, my skin is getting dry and chapped, eyes watering, and for the last week my children, ever the walking hygrometers, have been exhibiting unusually straight hair.

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at - 6 degc this morning, the snowdrops are looking a little sad. in the frozen soil.! Still it was mild a week ago and milder or less cold is predicted. Also the cold has been confined to the extreme south and south east for the most part today being an exception.
Alan

A bit of a temperature inversion - mild up here and cool down south. First tete a tete daffodils showing up and there is one purple crocus. Today there is no wind - the Flow is like a millpond. This will change - it always does, but we can enjoy it while it lasts.

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Only the snowdrops are in flower here. Today though I am going to mow the lawn, perfect time with it being so dry at the moment......

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