Early spring flowers have certainly been obliging at Coddington Vineyard, near Ledbury, ahead of a National Garden Scheme open day at the site.

On February 21, from 11am to 2.30pm, visitors will be able to enjoy a very good showing of snowdrops, daffodils, crocuses and other spring flowers.

“We’ve had lots and lots,” said vineyard owner, Peter Maiden, who said that the flowers had been early this year.

Some weather watchers were forecasting a particularly cold winter this year for the UK, but that has not happened, despite one or two frosts.

Instead, in what is becoming a recognisable pattern, the weather has been largely wet and warm.

Locally, good displays of snowdrops were being noted as early as mid-January, which crocuses turning up shortly afterwards in many gardens.