Garden Wildlife UK

We should be starting a 'First signs of Winter ' thread by now, but a 'First signs of Spring' would be more apt.
My Roses are sprouting and some of my Clematis shoots are now producing leaves!

So I have a theory! We shall have a late Spring

The shoots and buds will appear well before they should do, then a cold spell will knock them all back and they'll have to start all over again.

Any thoughts ?

I have been thinking along similar lines greg. The weather likes playing tricks and a late winter(say back end of February) severe blizzard would wipe the smiles off everyone's face. It is not only the plants that are fooled as my birds are very chirpy at present. They too are in for a nasty shock.

A lone daisy blooms bravely in my front lawn and the blackthorn is ready to pop its buds.
I too feel that a nasty surprise is coming. I can remember snow in May .......

One of the shoots on my Roses is about an inch long. All that energy going into a part of the plant that I'll only prune off in Spring.
The dilemma is, do I do my Spring pruning now, or leave it? Where's our Rose expert?

When will we have substantial frosts, when will the first snowfall of 2016 be. Calling all weather experts......

My guess........

Frosts - End of January.
Snow - none till April.

Went for a walk in Thursaston in Wirral 5th Jan and there was blooming Gorse everywhere. It is beautiful and yellow and bright with fresh newly emerged blooms all over the place. It does traditionally flower form Jan to June, but this looked like it had been out for a bit already and it is very early January. It gave the whole place a look of any other season but Winter!!

Also the Primroses look to be doing well in my garden and my Dad's garden.

Some wag is out there mowing their lawn expect they've just bought a new mower

See 'Dear Diary', Nuthatch. The perfume of newly mown grass is soooo wonderful after winter

Ah, yes, I did see that after I posted, Placi. I suppose it is nearly spring

I absolutely insist that it is nearly Spring !! No nasty surprises to come - guaranteed