The peonies, tulips and autumn raspberries are already pushing up new shoots.

I checked against last year’s diary and they are about 12 weeks earlier than last.

The daffodils are already in bloom and in the vase.

Take a look:

January daffs
This may be the first and last vaseful from the plot or maybe there will be a proper spring flush?
buds
These peonies are far too keen.  The old foliage will provide some frost protection but I’ll need to be on stand-by with the fleece.
tulip buds
Purple ‘Queen of the Night’ tulips.  The black pot is for the crystanths, which would normally be back in the greenhouse by now – job for next weekend.