Wednesday 13 March 2013

Spring - but not as we know it!

It's cold and there's a north wind. Just checked the thermometer outside the kitchen door and it read 3C! In general March treats us better. However, having seen the arctic scenes in Normandie and the Pas-de-Calais on the TF1 news last night we aren't complaining!
Sweet violet
We didn't get any snow, bar the odd flurry, but it did drop down to -5C last night. When I put more bird food out this morning the feathery thug-lets more or less swooped on it while I was still standing there. The daffodils and cowslips were all drooping this morning as a result of the frost. Now, by the afternoon, they have recovered somewhat, but the yellow crocuses near the bird feeders have given up the ghost. They were past their very best and I suppose the frost delivered the killer blow.
Japanese quince
Some things are a bit more pig-headed and have decided to go ahead; very much in the spirit of "we darned well will flower"!! The tiny sweet violets [viola odorata] which pop up every year on the south side of the house have appeared, though there's too much wind right now to catch their delicate perfume. The Japanese quince [Chaenomeles, no idea which one] is beginning to flower too.
Flowering Japanese quince against a [cold!] blue sky
We've got the blue skies and the sunshine. Now all we need is some milder temperatures!


16 comments:

Susan said...

I noticed the violets were flowering at the orchard today too. They are really hugging the ground though, hidden in the grass.

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Susan - yep they're still cowering a bit and who can blame them!

The Broad said...

We've got sunshine and blue skies -- and does feel quite acceptable out standing in the sun and out of the wind... Could Spring possibly be rearing its longed for head?

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Broad - let's hope so!

Craig said...

At least you know that you're going to get a warm spring any day now. I don't think the same can be expected up here!

GaynorB said...

Your garden is doing better than ours in the UK. Will the early flowers on the Japanese quince suffer with the frost?

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Craig - true. Unless we get another chilly rainy summer.

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Gaynor - not sure. They seemed to have weathered last night's -5C frost ok.

the fly in the web said...

My poor friend left 30C in Costa Rica to return to London yesterday....spring is a dirty word to her at the moment.

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Fly - LOL! I can well imagine!

Diane said...

Our lawn is covered in wild violets but it was so icy today I don't know in what state they were. I do know that the crocuses stayed tightly closed! Take care you two Diane

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Diane - snow flurries overnight as there was a dusting on the roof this morning. Our violets are huddled down close to the ground..

Jean said...

Looking on the bright side - it can only get better. Can't it ??!!

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Jean - that's what we keep telling ourselves while sat in front of the woodburner! :-)

Perpetua said...

At least you have sun and flowers even if your temperatures are as fridge-like as ours. Love your photos with that background of beautiful blue skies. :-) We had snow again today.....

Niall & Antoinette said...

@Perpetua - driech today and everything has gone soggy again. There's never -yet- been enough time for things to dry out properly.