Mother Nature May Have Lost Her Engagement Book.

The Daffodil [In Irish – Llus an chromchinn – Literal translation- Flower with bent head] is considered one of the most popular heralds of Irish springtime; its flaming yellow or snow white flowers waving from our rural and urban gardens and along the edges of our Irish roads.

Best planted in September, bulbs spend several months developing roots, before usually emerging in late January and early February; flowering between the end of February and on into April.

However, here in Thurles all of that has changed and for the second year in succession, we note that long established clumps of Daffodils have been appearing above ground, since mid-October last.

We also have reports of hellebores in bloom, same not due to show their lovely faces until mid-January.

The bisexual flowers of the Magnolia bush, [latter has both a functional male stamen and a female pistil], named after the French botanist Pierre Magnol, is a much awaited attraction at the beginning of each year. However, here in Thurles same is ready to bloom again for the 2nd time in just 12 months, almost 12 weeks before its correct flowering season.

Perhaps Thurles should host the 28th session of the UN Climate Change Conference [COP], as certainly Mother Nature here in Tipperary is taking an unexpected seasonal course and she appears to have lost her personal organizer or engagement book.