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[Hurdity]

CLKD - if they are in flower now then they can't be cowslips! As Taz says they are a late spring flower - from mid April at the earliest in the wild. Not sure if there are any garden varieties but there is polyanthus - which is like a cross between primrose and cowslip and there are lots of garden varieties of those which often flower in mild winters. Pity you can't upload a photo!

The banks you are driving past - presumably are wild flowers - so if they are cowslips - would not be in flower now!
Often you get garden escapes near towns - and even in villages - for example we have polyanthus growing along with the primroses in our orchard but they are not in flower yet though!

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

Excuse me  - don't tell me that they 'can't be cowslips'    - I know what I have in flower in my garden!  Our Polyanths have been in flower intermittently since November ......

[Taz2]

Sorry but have to agree that these would be a rare sight flowering in February. They are a late Spring flower. Could they be primroses?  Our local wildlife ranger is interested - any chance of a photo?

Taz x   

[CLKD]

No photo - I don't have to prove anything and they ARE cowslips, for goodness sake I KNOW what is in my garden 

[ellie]

I thought this might help.  Nature is very unpredictable though........

  When primroses (Primula vulgaris) and cowslips (Primula veris) are in flower then telling the difference between these two spring flowers is the essence of simplicity. Whilst the primrose has classic open flowers, the clowslip has a number of smaller, bellshaped flowers attached to a stem held high above the plant.

However when these two plants aren't in flower, identification becomes rather more difficult due to the similar appearance of the leaves.

However there *is* a way to tell the difference between the foliage of the cowslip and the primrose and that is to look towards the base of the leaf. In primroses, the leaf gently tapers down to a point while in the cowslip the leaf tapers down far quicker leaving only a very narrow area of leaf towards the leaf base.

Appearing a little later than Primroses but overlapping their blooming period, Cowslips are among the best known of the spring wildflowers. In many parts of Northern Europe you will see fields and roadside verges swathed in bobbing Cowslip heads in April, May and June.
        No kicking please 

[CLKD]

 

I found the label  - Mum had cowslips in flower in November, her garden is very open and we were very surprised as she hadn't seen any in her garden for years.  A bit like poppies, they can flower for a while then disappear ........ I have buds on the almond tree  so hoping that there won't be too many more frosts.  Polyanths in flower too ........ one a deep crimson colour.

Birds, busy as usual.  2 frogs chasing about in the pond ........

[dahliagirl]

The Great Tits have been creaking away for the last 3 weeks and the sun is getting sunnier - spring is on its way and the sap is rising.  Unfortunately, the blackbirds have been whistling away at 4.30am.  They are so smug about it when you are not sleeping. 

[CLKD]

  ...... I've been busy again this afternoon  .  Pottering ...........

[Hurdity]

   That's a non sequitur if ever there was one  !

Bumble bee buzzing around in the brief interlude of lovely warm afternoon sunshine - which I was sitting out in

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

In Storm Doris I could see honey and bumbles flying backwards  .  We went to a garden centre yesterday and the Spring flowers were being visited by honey bees 

[Two hoots]

Our camellia is full of flowers at the moment, it's planted near the hedge line at the bottom of the garden just close enough for the squirrels to reach and grab a jucy bud to eat

 

[CLKD]

Any bee keepers here?

[CLKD]

I've seen bees flying backwards - Storm Doris has a lot to answer for !

There was a Very Large Bumble in the Winter flowering honeysuckle yesterday.

[CLKD]

We have frog spawn 

[Hurdity]

Great . Signs of spring....

We have orchids - by that I mean our plants are all showing - over 25 of them this year - they are spreading but won't flower yet awhile.

Hurdity x