Signs of Spring 3 - first flowers

kw: observations, photographs, seasons

A few days ago the Aconite was the first Spring flower to bloom. Ten or more years ago, the Forsythia would bloom first, whenever Spring came of a sudden in early March. Not lately.

Aconite is a pretty weed. I have seen these for sale at nurseries, but they are native to the area and easy to obtain, best from seed in the summer; just pull off a few seed heads.

Funny though; some people consider them a noxious weed and root them out. They have not proved invasive in our garden. We have just two patches of them that stay about the same year after year.


The Crocuses seldom arrive earlier than the Aconite or Forsythia. This year, they are between them, as the Forsythia have yet to bloom. Forsythia has become an April flower since about 1998.

Many of our Crocuses have been eaten by the resident rabbit. She is bigger than ever this year. I think I read that Saffron is made from Crocus pollen. Maybe it is actually from a related plant. Anyway, Crocus flower buds are very edible and only the fact that we have a lot of them has left a few uneaten.

In the past, Tulips would come up by now. This year in particular, the heavy snow cover until last week has cooled the ground and led to a delayed Spring.

Finally, this is today's first Daffodil. I wish I'd caught it in full sun, earlier in the day, but one must work, don'cha know. Our daffodils spread more than the Aconite does. We've had to thin them out a couple times in the fifteen years we've been here.

The flower I am most eagerly awaiting is the blossoms on the Apple tree. Then I'll know Spring is fully under weigh.