Beast from the East brings early blooms

FLOWER power is back, thanks to the Beast from the East.

While the worst snowstorm to hit Ireland in decades left much of the country in chaos, the clash of the Siberian weather front with Storm Emma can be credited with giving f lowerbeds around the country an early seasonal debut, according to Matthew Jebb, director of the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, Dublin.

The record-breaking snow and sub-zero temperatures gave springflowering bulbs like daffodils and hyacinths a welcome jolt of cold to encourage them to f lower early, he said.

Paul Maher, curator of the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, examines an ash tree which was planted in 1888 after it fell from the weight of the snow on its branches. Inset, some of the daffodils in bloom. Photos: Steve Humphreys