Saturday, 25 February 2023

Early Spring

The Winter has been mild so far.   We've had a few overnight air frosts, but no ground frosts as far as I'm aware.   The plants are very foreward in their development; the Hazel is going nuts.   I always think it's a shame that the flowers of the Christmas Roses droop; you have to lift them up a little to see their true colours.


The Winter-flowering Honeysuckle is covered in its small fragrant flowers, and the bees are already harvesting from it.   The Garrya elliptica is covered in tassels.


So it looks like Spring is here, in mid-February.   I'm just hoping that a short sharp frost isn't going to chop everything off at the knees.

If the weather forecast holds, I expect I'll put the first potatoes in about mid-March, covering them with a tarpaulin if an air frost is predicted.

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6 comments:

  1. James Higham26 February 2023 at 06:51

    An explosion of flora.

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  2. The bike shed26 February 2023 at 13:09

    It seems a long while since I visited your blog - and then it just pops up on my feed. Glad to see that you are still thriving in France and online!

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  3. CherryPie28 February 2023 at 19:07

    I always love the blooms emerging in spring :-)

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  4. Bill Sticker2 March 2023 at 14:46

    Winter flowering Honeysuckle? I like that idea.

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  5. Mark In Mayenne2 March 2023 at 23:19

    Hi Bill, the latin name is Lonicera fragantissima, if I remember correctly. The bees are currently raiding it in force.

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  6. Bill Sticker4 March 2023 at 08:39

    Thanks Mark, I'm currently looking for a local supplier. I like Honeysuckle, so do my bees.

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