Coast & Countryside

Brrr... weather is blooming fantastic!

Topsy-Turvy weather is throwing spring blooms into confusion in Carmarthenshire. Few garden and roadside daffodils were able to doff their heads in honour of St David’s Day (March 1st) this year.

This was because temperatures as low as minus 15C in parts of the county has led to the slow development of the bulbs.

Crocuses and snowdrops however, have been relishing the challenges of icy ground conditions and spectacular splashes, the waxy petalled blooms have been brightening up the lengthening days. Llanelli’s appropriately named town centre 'Spring Gardens' has been awash with crocus blooms but the Llanelli Coast Road which is normally teaming with hosts of golden daffodils at this time of year has not one in sight.

Carmarthenshire Council's Millennium Coastal Park local reserves conservation officer Simeon Jones said: "Spring is coming about two weeks earlier than it would have been 50 years ago and Autumn about a week later, but the long hard freezes we have been experiencing in recent months have been unsettling the clock of our traditional blooms. On average, the seasonal timing of reproduction and population growth has become earlier by more than 11 days in recent years. For example, last year spring temperatures picked up rapidly - the March to May average was 1.46˚C warmer than in 2001. Snowdrops first flowered on January 29th in 2009, seven days earlier than in 2001. This may be consistent with the idea that a warmer autumn may delay flowering in early spring until plants have experienced a sufficient period of low winter temperatures."

There are expert forecasts that later in March and throughout April in Carmarthenshire we will get a merger of many of the winter and spring flowering blooms in a kaleidoscope of blooming colour.

Photo: Blooming great display of crocuses in Spring Gardens, Llanelli. But not a daff in sight on St David’s Day. Pic: Jeff Connell

For further press information please contact Carmarthenshire County Council leisure services press officer Ron Cant on 01267 224923 or 07811 101531.