Is April the new March?

It's been a long winter and I'm sure I'm not the only one who is now sick fed up of it!  Is there any one out there who disagrees?  I yearn to spend days out in the garden without the need of a thick fleece.  Despite the rise in temperatures the last couple of days - strong winds remain, only their direction and speed have changed.  They are now gusting quite a bit!  I just want a bit of heat on my back!  Is it too much to ask?
Is there anyone out there with the capabilities of getting through to Mother Nature - she's just not listening to me!

Buds on the Camellias and the Magnolia are just beginning to fatten up, exactly as I would be expecting back in March!  The deciduous shrubs have the minutest of buds, stuck in the limbo of a seemingly extended March!  The lawns remain untouched, they would have usually had their first cut some time in March!  Therefore I declare that April is the new March!

Here's some photographic evidence:

The extended winter has meant that the Hellebores are still looking good - all things considered the Hellebores have certainly been the stand out plant this winter!  That said - this will be the last Hellebore picture I intend to post in 2013!

A selection of blooms from Oriental Hellebores

My garden really would have been a rather dull place had it not been for the blossoming Crocus bulbs - a good 3 or 4 weeks later than last year!

Crocus Collage

Suffering after a heavy shower this morning.  Crocus vernus Jeanne D'arc are collapsing before my very eyes this afternoon!

Crocus Jeanne D'arc 

This group of pot grown Crocus are destined to be planted in one of the borders this year - flowering a good 3 or 4 weeks later than last year!

Rhododendron Shamrock - so called as it flowers around St. Patrick's Day - that's March right?  It usually flowers in my garden nearer the end of March - still tight in bud mid April!  Some of the foliage changed colour winter 2011 and has thus far refused to revert back to green.  If I'm honest - I prefer it reddish!

Rhododendron Shamrock
March flowerer? Not this year!

Who knew?  Who could have predicted?  Who would have expected......

Snowdrops to look this good mid April! Not me, that's for sure!  

Snowdrops April 2013

  
Pulmonaria should be in full flower by mid/end March - providing much needed nourishment for bees!  This is the only one flowering at the moment - the Blue and White are miles behind, we might be luck if we see a flower this side of May!

unnamed pink Pulmonaria

Good old reliable Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' is not doing it's March thing yet!  The tiniest of flower buds are just now appearing!  In all the years I've had this plant this has been the first year it has died back completely!

Frost bitten foliage!

Primula denticulata (drumstick Primulas) are usually swaying away in the March beeze - instead they are just beginning to reach skyward and  will now be battered by the April gales!  

Primula denticulata 'Cashmerian'
Beneath the Enkianthus

Primula denticulata var. Alba
just getting started!

The early flowering Corydalis are usually just about dormant come April - not this month!  Still looking March like!

Cordydalis malkensis, Crocus and a rogue Squil April 2013

 
Skimmia, Viburnum and Mahoberberis are still in bud and as for the Mahonia - I've given up wishing it to flower this year!  Fritillaria, Chionodoxa and Scilla are just about there!

So there you have it, the case for 'April is the new March!' - how far behind is your garden?

Of course, there are other things flowering.  This next selection are all first time bloomers in the garden this year.

Narcissus Rip van Winkle

Narcissus Jetfire - I thought the trumpet was supposed to be orange?

Anemone blanda Pink....Pink??

Muscar latifolium Blue Angels
in a container by the back door

This blog is part of a series hosted by Carol over at May Dream Gardens.  If you would like to join in or take a look at what is flowering in all corners of the globe - please do pop over there are lots of great blogs to read.