Early spring

Interesting, this year Easter is early and so seems to be spring! Most of the snow in Oslo has melted, except where it has been piled or where there's lots of shadow. There's one flower that  I try to find earlier and earlier each year. I have tried to remember the places  where I have seen it first. It's the coltsfoot, a yellow flower. One place is not far away from where I live and I found a flower there on March 19, about three days ago. And of course it would have been possible to see it even  earlier.

(Actually I found that last year I had taken a photo of this on March 15, by a bike path a bit further behind the Opera.)

But yesterday I happened to be behind the Oslo Opera, and there I found lots and lots of coltsfeet and more coming up! Must remember that place.

Oslo Botanical Gardens have vinterblom, eranthis.

Galanthus Nivalis, snowbell

Helleborus niger, white Christmas Rose, is amazing.

I had never noticed before Adonis amurensis, amuradonis at least

  in Norwegian. In English it seems to be Amur Pheasant's Eye.

Also something blue, Siberian squill, Scilla Siberica, one of the most lovely spring flowers, small and delicate but covering large areas.

I also love the striped squill, or Puschkinia Libanotica (Russian Snowdrop).

I heard today where I could find the blue anemone, so I will go looking for it tomorrow. Sounds very early, as the white anemone at least usually blooms in May.

So many flowers already, I only started looking for them a week ago.

One more, the giant snowdrop, Galanthus elwesii, not open yet.