out today

When you say "only appeared", fennel, and associate the release of their pollen with itchy rash, I suspect that the closed catkins were actually there in the autumn, but not yet in their open flower state, like the alder catkins in the photo I've posted.

Alder catkins are visible here too but, as with the hazel ones, not actually flowering yet.

I have a climbing rose which has just decided to flower again. Mind you, after this morning's frost I think it might now change its mind.

Even in SW France the hazel catkins only appeared in early Jan. I remember well because it brought me out in an itchy rash.
Now in NE England, in our little back garden there are still some blue periwinkle flowers.

I was surprised to see a Welsh Poppy out in my garden today.

Ooh yes, Nandalot, we have loads of marigolds in flower also - although, currently, they're practically invisible under a covering of fallen oak leaves!

At our gym, there are banks of bright marigolds still flowering.

My daffodils are coming on well...

I have a yellow lupin. ?

I’ve also got pretty primrose flowering ..

I have a primrose out in my garden!

Hazel catkins are visible on my hazel tree too. They are not open though. I don't think the actual flowering occurs until early spring.

I have a large opium poppy in flower.

Our bottle brush is flowering too, so is the forsythia and the angel trumpet!

GrannyGravy13 you're right it does look festive especially against its foliage. Like red lights,they're beautiful.

My nasturtium seeds have sprouted. They are going to get a big shock when winter really sets in.

I pick flowers from the garden every week of the year . 2 weeks ago I was still picking roses and sweet peas along with autumn beech leaves and cotoneaster berries. Weird! I'm in Scotland.

Ellanvannin my bottle brush plant is full of bright red blossoms, infact it looks rather "festive" and it is the brightest thing in my garden at the moment.

The summer that we all had must have warmed up the soil to such an extent that the deep-rooted plants/trees must wonder what month it is. I've had two blossoms on my bottlebrush plant which flowers in June/July but seemed quite happy to come into bloom now and in the North too.