Snow in the south of the USA,
snow in wide areas of Japan,
snow in wide areas of Japan,
...
...
...
and snowdrops (but NO snow at all)
and many other early flowering plants
in Germany
in Germany
in the month of February 2014.
;-)
This year's winter weather is really crazy!
While many countries left and right of Europe have to suffer the consequences of a severe winter with plenty of snow,
our German winter is one of the mildest we ever had.
I can't remember the last time I took photos of crocuses in the middle of February!
All the other spring flowers around - winter aconite and helleborus niger - are valued in cultivation as one of the earliest of all flowers to appear.
But crocuses?
Last year I took crocuses in late March and April!!!
Helleborus niger - commonly called Christmas rose or black hellebore.
Here's the white version of the flower, borne on short stems blooms from midwinter to early spring.
Eranthis hyemalis - the winter aconite - native to woodland habitats all over Europe.
Or: native in the garden of my father-in-law.
;-)
