Britain’s in bloom... and it’s still the middle of winter
1,700 garden favourites have already popped up, reveals National Trust
BRITAIN has been shivering in the grip of a cold snap, but these beautiful blooms show spring is finally on its way.
Gardeners at the National Trust have conducted their annual Valentine’s Day flower count and recorded 1,737 plants already in bloom across their properties in the South West.
The region’s slightly warmer micro-climate means its gardens typically come into flower earlier than those around the rest of Britain. Elsewhere, sub-zero temperatures and snow showers have meant only the hardiest plants have even put out buds.
But forecasters said the weekend’s icy gusts from Scandinavia had been driven out by warmer air blowing in from North Africa, with most of Britain due to enjoy temperatures above 10C (50F) today.
National Trust gardeners in the South West said signature early spring bulbs such as snowdrops and crocuses had been joined by magnolias, camellias and rhododendrons, which traditionally come into flower later. Saltram House in Devon led the way with the highest number of flowers recorded, for the second year in a row.
Its garden team found 176 types of plants had flowered at the Georgian property, including primroses, daffodils, irises and hydrangea. Scented flowers such as witch hazel and honeysuckle were also in bloom.
Overall, the numbers of plants already flowering in the South West were down by more than a third compared with last year, when Britain enjoyed an unusually mild January and February.
But they were the second highest for the last five years and experts said this year’s slightly cooler conditions meant the early blooms should last longer.
Ian Wright, of the National Trust, said: ‘Our gardens are full of buds ready to burst into flower. Spring isn’t here quite yet, but when it does arrive it will be a good one.
‘Comparing the number of plants across our gardens on a set day every year gives us a real insight into how our gardens respond to weather patterns, and is a useful barometer for the season ahead.’
The Met Office predicts today’s milder weather will last for the rest of the week and into the weekend.