Spring is Coming!
With lengthening days and warmer temperatures, we will be seeing more and more spring flowers start to appear in the college gardens and Christ Church Meadow. Some of these such as the areas of spring bedding in School Quad and the Rose Garden are very formal in nature, whereas other areas such as the Meadow and in the Pococke Garden are much more natural in appearance.
The season starts with snowdrops and winter aconites as well as a few crocuses and even some daffodils. There is a particularly early patch of daffodils in the Pococke Garden which this year started to open up around New Year’s Day, although one year it made an appearance in November!
In the Meadow, there are already snowdrops and a few crocuses flowering away and I have spotted some wild daffodils beginning to show through. These will be joined by cowslips, wild tulips and snake’s head fritillaries as the season progresses.
Although the main emphasis at this time of year is on spring bulbs, there are also many other plants to keep an eye open for such as the herbaceous Hellebores and the shrubby Daphnes. Viburnums, Edgeworthia and Cornus to name but a few. As an added bonus many of these winter flowering shrubs have a very strong, sweet scent. Keep your eyes peeled and you will be surprised what you can see.
