Bluebells

[Verinda]

Today I spotted bluebells coming up in our little wood, is it too early for bluebells? It seems a bit early though I suppose it takes them a long time to flower. I also found frogspawn in my pond at the beginning of February. That is definitely early!

I have a Boys Own annual dated 1914 and it says frogspawn appears in May!! Oh dear, so things really have changed over the past hundred years or so.

[WendyC]

We usually have frogspawn during February half term. It's half term this week and it appeared on Monday so not early for me. May seems late.

[VirginVegGrower]

May is about right for Bluebells but ours appear from April lasting through. I know this because we have Easter treasure hunts in the woods.

[veggiechicken]

This is a good site to follow and compare your sighting with the rest of the country!
First signs of spring hunt sheet (free download from 'nature detectives' run by the Woodland Trust)
First hints of spring:- (I've highlighted the ones I noticed so far)
hazel catkins
snowdrops
bluebell shoots
elder buds bursting
primroses
lesser celandine
birds building nests
bird song
frogspawn

[WendyC]

This is a good site to follow and compare your sighting with the rest of the country!
First signs of spring hunt sheet (free download from 'nature detectives' run by the Woodland Trust)
First hints of spring:- (I've highlighted the ones I noticed so far)
hazel catkins
snowdrops
bluebell shoots
elder buds bursting
primroses
lesser celandine
birds building nests
bird song
frogspawn

That looks interesting. Will take a look.

[Verinda]

Thank you all for your interesting replies. Thank you for the link veggiechicken, I'll definitely look it up. I haven't seen any primroses yet, but have seen celandine.

Its been unbelievably cold today with a bitter wind blowing. Not very springlike!

[veggiechicken]

This is the adult version that I meant to post
Nature's Calendar

[Two_Sheds]

I also found frogspawn in my pond at the beginning of February.

That's not uncommon, if we get a warm spell they go at it !

The spawn will die in the cold though, don't worry about saving it ... they'll do loads more later on

[WendyC]

This is the adult version that I meant to post
Nature's Calendar

I rather liked the kids one!

[veggiechicken]

You can guess which one I like too

[Verinda]

Last year they laid frogspawn early, then we had a lot of hard frosts and I was sure it would all die because it froze solid but much to my amazement it melted and the tadpoles hatched and were fine. I just love it when the teeny frogs appear.

I like the kids one too! I saw some primroses in bud today which really cheered me up.

[Linzy]

not sure about the frogspawn im sure we used to find it around march/april time. But all my bluebells are up and a few have flowers always this wy end feb-start march then i can whip of all the leaf thats died back in may for my annuals to go in

[Verinda]

Hi Linzy, yes thats when we used to find frogspawn too, never in February. I think it takes ages for the bluebells to finish growing and actually flower so hopefully they will flower at about the right time...when is that? About April or May I think?