Is this the start of spring? It's been unseasonably mild here, a far cry from last winter, and some of the bulbs are blooming much earlier this year. I dug up these narcissus, which I think are 'Grand Primo', the first week in March last year while they were in bloom. It was part of my daffodil rescue. But they're blooming already. I really like these bulbs - very robust leaves and stems and extremely fragrant (maybe too fragrant!). Plus they're just plain pretty.

Last year the grape hyacinth were just starting to open about a week later. So they seem on track. If I were to buy more grape hyacinth bulbs, I think I'd buy some larger cultivars. These are very teeny.

These 'Gravetye Giant' snowflakes are new for me this year. Last year I had the smaller summer snowflakes blooming about a month later. The smaller ones have yet to bloom so I don't know if it's a cultivar difference or not. I do like the bigger blooms on these!

The flowering quince is starting to open, probably a week or so earlier than last year. I'd say it's got a good month of blooming left though.

My new baby is blooming! I planted my 'Peggy Clarke' flowering apricot last January and it's covered in blooms and bees now! I'm so glad there are some bloomers for my pollinator friends.

Are you starting to see signs of spring earlier than last year? What's blooming for you?

This post was written by Jean McWeeney for my blog Dig, Grow, Compost, Blog. Copyright 2012. Please contact me for permission to copy, reproduce, scrape, etc.