Has spring arrived? The answer is... it depends

3rd March 2010, by Dan Walford

Daffodils in the snow

The meteorological answer works out the seasons on 3 month segments, so spring is the months of March, April and May. The astronomical answer looks at day length to pin point the spring equinox.

Regardless of calendar dates and astronomical data, gardeners know the signs that indicate when the first days of spring have truly arrived. The dormant buds on trees swell and the warmer soil temperatures encourage bulbs to force their way up to explode into colour.

If the flurry of seed catalogues coming through my letter box wasn’t enough, a visit to my local Garden Centre confirmed that spring must be here. It was alive with customers buying fruit bushes, seed potatoes, composts and a variety of different garden care products.

According to the Met Office, spring has advanced considerably over the last 15 to 20 years because of the warming UK climate.

This year saw the coldest winter since 1981 and we’ve received reports that tree blossom and spring flowers have been delayed by around 2 or 3 weeks in many gardens. In my garden last year the daffodils were already in bloom but this year they’re still in the green ‘gooseneck’ stage.

Maybe we’ve got used to spring arriving too early over the last 20 years and this year is more like it should be? Why not let us know what you think and leave a comment on this blog, we’re keen to know what’s happening in gardens across the country. So let us know if your daffs are flowering late, you’ve already heard the cuckoo or maybe you’ve already given your lawn its first trim.

7 comments | Filed under: Miscellaneous | Freshness: 703 days ago

Reader comments

CharlieNoSpuds

03/03/10 at 12:54 (703 days ago)

I can tell Spring is approaching in my garden, as now there is enought sunlight to charge my solar lights! My Lilac and Forsythia have both got buds on them and my roses are showing signs of leaf buds.
RaySunshine

03/03/10 at 15:26 (703 days ago)

You can ‘smell’ Spring in the air in my garden! The birds have started nest-building which is a sure sign its on its way. My daffs are not flowering yet, but buds are certainly starting to swell on everything and the catkins have all appeared on my Willow tree.
Bethany

03/03/10 at 21:20 (703 days ago)

I live in the south-east. The other day on a walk with my little boy I noticed the primroses and crocus flowers appearing. I thought that’s early. Plus I think there’s a bird nesting on our conservatory roof.
Steven

05/03/10 at 09:20 (701 days ago)

I have given my lawn it’s first ‘Spring’ cut and what’s more I did it wearing a t-shirt. You know Spring is here when you can go out without a big thick wooly jumper on!
Kev

05/03/10 at 19:28 (701 days ago)

I’m in Burnley & assure you i am not mowing the lawn in my t-shirt, or plan to for quite some time. it didn’t feel like spring here today. Might be differnt down south
Janet

08/03/10 at 11:21 (698 days ago)

Spring has arrived in my garden…. I was looking at my roses this weekend and to my horror I saw that all my new leaf buds were already covered in Aphids!!! It must be spring.
Fred

08/03/10 at 14:24 (698 days ago)

It didn’t feel much like Spring as I scraped the ice off my car this morning, it may look sunny and warm but when you get out there is still very cold.