January is not usually the most exciting time in the plant year, but this month has been astonishing. Flowers are bursting out ridiculously early in balmy temperatures, with daffodils and primroses making a surprising appearance far ahead of schedule, and catkins bursting out on hazel and some other trees. There are also the more usual early bloomers, such as the custard-yellow flowers of gorse and buttercup-like lesser celandine. But most breathtaking is a roll call of flowers usually seen much later in spring, such as dandelions, hogweed, long stalked crane's bill, scentless mayweed, knapweed, compact brome and many others. Unfortunately for gardeners, many of these also grow as weeds, and with grass growing lush there is plenty of unexpected garden work, although it is amazing to see camellias and roses in flower.
There is a high price to pay for all this exuberant early start to the plant season. Many of the daffodils that opened their trumpets early were also flattened to the ground by frosts this month – and with the possibility of an even more punishing cold snap to come there could be a lot more damage.
A premature spring like this may seem freakish, but it does fit a pattern of mild winters and early flowering over the past 20 years or so. In fact, it was only the very recent winters that bucked the trend and reverted to what winter should be – cold with very little sign of any plant life.