With the sight of daffodils appearing in December and magnolia trees blossoming early, even the casual observer has noticed that the seasons are out of kilter.
Such horticultural confusion has prompted one of Britain's most respected gardeners to suggest that the official date of spring should be brought forward because there is no winter any more.
Dr Nigel Taylor, curator of Kew Gardens, came up with the radical idea after witnessing one of the mildest winters on record. And he became convinced of the merit of his idea when he discovered plants native to Britain have burst into flower earlier than usual this year.
On his daily rounds through the maze of plants at the botanic gardens, Dr Taylor found English Hawthorn had grown leaves in the last week of January - more than two months earlier than normal.
The discovery makes the plant's alternative name of Mayflower - because of the month it is in full bloom - somewhat redundant.
Spring and winter are now indistinguishable due to climate change, says nature expert | the Daily Mail
Well, I knew this. Bright sunny and warm here today, in the middle of February?