Old Speckled Hen Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Our daffs are budding, honeysuckle leaves are showing in the hedgerows and the wild arum lily is through. The bees have been out collecting snowdrop and hazel. It's light at 7 and not dark till 6 ....all of a sudden. There is a definite morning chorus now with the blackbirds singing at 6 in the morning. The blue tits are checking out our nest boxes. Yesterday a Sparrowhawk sat on top of the bird feeder and there was absolute silence in the garden but when it flew off the little birds were back in 10 seconds. Later it came back to crash through the Ivy chasing a sparrow into the next field where it happily (not for the sparrow though ) munched it's prey for 15 minutes. What's your garden doing for spring? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chick wiggle Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Wow! What a beautiful picture OSH I have noticed in the last couple of weeks while walking the dog how the snowdrops are blooming and the dafs are budding along with trees etc. Spring just round the corner? Oh i really hope so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Wow, absolutely fabulous photo OSH! I had a close encounter with a sparrowhawk a couple of years ago - he'd become trapped in my makeshift fruit cage and was furious with me for trying to release him! We've really noticed the increase in morning and evening bird song too - the cock chaffinch(es) have been word perfect for over a week now and the blackbird reminds me he needs mealworms when I go out to shut the bantams up in the evening. The amelanchiers have been in bud for a couple of weeks, the hawthorns too. The daffs are poking through and I also noticed the beginnings of life in the Honeysuckle at the weekend. It must be nearly spring - I've been busy in the polytunnel too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyChickenLover- Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Amazing photo OSH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinsk Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Fantastic photo. I noticed yesterday that the wild garlic is starting to come through. I love the smell of that stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted February 21, 2011 Author Share Posted February 21, 2011 Fantastic photo. I noticed yesterday that the wild garlic is starting to come through. I love the smell of that stuff. The young shoots are great in salads We have masses in the hedgerows and the lanes do smell.................... None through yet though. I'm just waiting for the primroses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Lovely photo Yes, it really is coming on - if all the plants aren't drowned by this rain Most of the trees have buds of some form on them, the willow in our park has quite big leaf buds and an early flowering mock cherry has flowers on it already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 I love spring my favorite time of year, what a great photo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Great photo again OSH I saw 2 wood pigeons mating on a cable yesterday - does this count as a sign Also, the garden stinks from next doors chicken pellet manure on tidied up and weeded asparagus beds - this must be a sign I watched a bumble bee 'sunbathe' standing up and holding on with its front legs on a conifer Some of my rose bushes are beginning to bud and leaves are starting to appear on a couple. Snowdrop is in flower, crocus' looks a bit feeble and the other bulbs are still very slow and small. Hedgerows are in bud, catkins have been out on the hazels for ages but the only pussy willow I have seen was in a florists. The geraniums look like they are going to take over my borders (already) but my peonies and most of the other perenniels are still below the ground. The euphorbias are starting to sprout their central rosettes and spikes - I love their lime green and dark red/purple contrasts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 What an amazing photo, well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 That's a super photo! Here the roses are starting to shoot out - although most of them didn't lose all their leaves so I shall have to get out with the secateurs pdq! The daffs are also in bud. The yellow winter jasmine is still flowering. The garlic and the winter onions are speeding along nicely and the hens are beginning to start laying. Well we still have 2 to perform - one can be forgiven as she has just got her new feathers after moulting all winter and the other one is a fat lazy orpie. The weather could be much better though, the garden is saturated and there has been very little sunshine. Just gloomy and wet for most of the time. One day of sunshine means a week of bleh. But the snowdrops are doing really well and some have finished already. I have different species and some of those are taller but later flowering. The snowflakes are sending up green leaves and some of the tulip leaves are showing. The rhubarb is also poking up. Summer will be here soon. I hope it is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 What a superb picture. The birds have been a lot noisier around here and Muddles has come back into lay. The days are getting longer and I can walk to my music lessons every week in the light, (not on the way back though-still dark!). 2 daffodils are out in the garden and the trees are coming into bud. Spring is definitely starting and the garden is waking up again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Great picture Dani! Spring for me means Lambing! ... might make a new thread about that though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 I saw lots of violets in the hedgerows yesterday We've got some daffodils in bloom, quite a few daisies in the waterlogged lawn & I've spotted my first primrose! There's light at the end of the tunnel! Hurray!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted February 22, 2011 Author Share Posted February 22, 2011 Spring for me means Lambing! ... might make a new thread about that though Oooooooh yes please do and pictures pictures. Spotted a few lambs already some really big so obviously grown indoors. Yes, let's all of us get lamb pictures on..........spot the breed Groovychook, I love those dog violets. We have some in the garden, as well as lots in the hedgerows......not out yet though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Millies Chicken Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Frogspawn in the garden pond and tits are starting to investige the nesting boxes. First daff is nearly open Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Spring for me means Lambing! ... might make a new thread about that though Oooooooh yes please do and pictures pictures. Spotted a few lambs already some really big so obviously grown indoors. Yes, let's all of us get lamb pictures on..........spot the breed *makes a thread* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Found a tiny clump of Snowdrops yesterday just about to open. daffodils have still to appear. Heard a Skylark yesterday for the first time this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I forgot about the crocuses - they've been out for some time now. Basingstoke has loads dotted around in mixed colours - looks very pretty. Have you noticed how much moss there is on the trees? I've never seen it like that before. The blackbirds are pecking it off in clumps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I have lovely green sprouts on my Blackcurrants & Blueberries. My Pyrocantha (*sp) hedge is almost bare of berries now - it was smothered this year - & the local birdies all look very fat! Daffs are up & budding,the Snowdrops are in their final florish stage,as they were early this year. ...........and its raining,so Spring must be on its way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 I love it at that pivotal moment when suddenly everything looks green. First the hedgerows and trees start to bud, then along comes the blackthorn on bare branches then you look around and Spring is here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 It is great isn't it? The air somehow smells more spring-like too. I don't know how,& couldn't explain what 'more spring-like' actually smells like,but it does! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I noticed that the other morning when walking the dog - it was warmer than of late and I could smell the earth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Clare - that's because you're knee deep in mud like we are here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I know... this morning there was a lot of standing water in the park, not just on the paths but on the grass and beds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
