Spring flowers bloom early due to warmer weather and a wet winter

Vibrant spring flower displays due to warm spring sunshine and a wet winter Image source, PA MediaImage caption, Recent warm weather has encouraged the tulips at Hampton Court Palace to bloom slightly earlier than usual this yearBySarah Keith-LucasLead Weather PresenterPublished24 minutes agoCommentsA warm start to spring after a mild, wet winter has meant optimal conditions for a vivid display of spring flowers in some places this year.Wet earth, plenty of sunshine and a lack of frosts have combined to give some plants a noticeable head start. Gardens in southern England in particular have reported flowers blooming weeks earlier than normal.Further north, however, spring has been a little slower to get off the marked as cooler and wetter weather has held on for longer.Earliest blooming bluebells for decadesImage source, BBC Weather Watchers/AJMSnapsImage caption, A stunning display of bluebells at Hole Park Gardens in Kent Spring is a season of transition, as lingering winter influences are gradually replaced by increasing warmth. The days get longer, the sun is higher in the sky with plants responding to this increased sunlight and rise in temperatures. Snowdrops and daffodils give way to tulips and bluebells, and the speed and intensity of spring's blooms are highly influenced by the weather.This year much of the UK started spring with plenty of moisture in the soil after a wetter than average winter. Met Office figures show that March delivered some notably warm weather for England and Wales in particular, alongside plenty of sunshine.Image source, EPAImage caption, Bluebells carpet the ground in Chalet Wood, Wanstead ForestThis combination of weather types - with a lack of overnight frosts - has meant an early bloom of spring flowers, especially in southern England. At Hole Park Gardens in Kent, owner Edward Barham has described this year's bluebell display as "magnificent - probably one of the best of recent years". Their records go back fo...