One swallow does make the start of Spring

What a lovely day it was yesterday – the sun shone, the bees buzzed amongst the pulmonaria, the Carrion Crow pair saw off a rival nest builder, and after looking up into the blue cloudless sky all day, a swallow in late afternoon.

The warmth is bringing on tulips fast, some of the smaller species tulips flung themselves open with complete abandon to the sun. Daffodils are beginning to outstay their welcome although we’ve still got Sir Winston Churchill to open, one of the scented heavy hitters.

In your face yellows

Let’s hear it for the humble British native Marsh Marigold – a sunny sight indeed

Tulip kolpakowskiana
Tulip kolpakowskiana

Or is it? A Dutch website Tulips in the Wild suggests that Tulip kolpakowskiana is too difficult to grow in general cultivation so those offered in the trade for general garden use are from the T. ferganica group.

Mellow yellows

Acacia dealbata
Acacia dealbata

The flowers are much paler than ‘normal’ – grown from seed.

Arum creticum
Arum creticum

This year the most flowers I’ve had on Arum creticum so far. The winter emerging foliage has stood up to the low temperatures and snow.