Its a new year, the weather is moderating, and meteorological spring is just 14 days away. It won't be long now before our gardens come alive and bloom, so I figured it was time to start the annual spring flower thread. We have just one Hellebore bloom today, but I expect dozens by the end of the weekend. Show us what is waking up in your yard.

Sadly--I do not have anything blooming yet. Have not yet checked the status of my Hellebores.
All I see from just looking at them is the dead, old leaves. Need to peek and see what is below them If it counts, some Daffs are up about 3" already..
My Italian Parsley never died....I could harvest some all winter long. The 4 or 5 clumps are living happily among piles of dead leaves as are many other things. I never raked....
The winds did me a lot of favors. G.

I have had a few crocus blooming but that is it so far. Daffs are coming up also.

My blue fall pansies have never stopped blooming, it's been that mild. Mahonia must be opening.

I have a hellebore blooming. One daffy has a bud on it. Need to check the pieris.

That's a beautiful photo, David.

Other than one Crocus and Hamamelis vernalis, I don't think anything has bloomed in my yard.

Woot-woot...can't wait... Typically I would be sharing photos of my daphne blooms but sadly after 8+ years she died. Have no idea why... No blooms for me yet...will be watching for the bulbs and of course the Viburnum is typically the 2nd to bloom after the Daphne.

Flowering Quince has been blooming sporadically all winter. Of course many buds are consumed by the birds.
Didn't know Viburnum is an early bloomer. What kind do you have @Chantell? Sorry to hear about your Daphne

I have snowdrops blooming. I'll get some photos to post as soon as I can. No hellebores yet.

Inside, I have sprouts from the Datura seeds I got from Donner that I sowed the day after the seed swap. So far 50% germination on them

that's pretty fast for Datura.
Snowdrops here, Crocus tomassinianus any time now would not surprise me. Or maybe reticulated Iris.

Hmmm maybe I was confused about the blooming time of the Viburnum...we'll see. And there was some confusion in my notes as to whether it was a Korean spice or another… I'll take pictures and maybe you guys can help me sort that out when the time comes.

Aha, color! Hellebore, snowdrops, creeping phlox and cyclamen. More blooms likely after this warm spell.

I was outside. Trying to get the bermuda grass and the bindweed roots out. I have snowdrops, hellebores, and crocuses blooming in my front yards. Facing West. Nothing in the back yard. I have a volunteer Christmas tree, a "small" one, maybe 5-6 feet tall? It is beautiful but if someone wants it, and can dig it out, it can go. I do not know what kind of evergreen it is.

@Chantell: there is a Viburnum that blooms very early, with small shiny leaves and very fragrant. That is the one that I have been trying to identify and get. The leaves resemble boxwood. I thought I got it, when I bought from Logee's, but it was a small bonsai and it died--I do not remember the name now. I think it is the name of a person. Maybe Walter something.
I saw it in Columbus Ohio, they were planted at the university in one of those huge "planters" build with cement, the Viburnums I think was blooming in February. They were bushes, not tall trees. The flowers were very fragrant. I ever corresponded with Michael Durr, but he does not know. I got 1 cutting from them but did not root when I took it home. I have not been to that university since then. The troupe used to go there every year, but since our leader went back to Bali, we have not been there again.

Today we have numerous Hellebores

with many more on the way.

some Crocuses

plus some attractive early foliage of Pachysandra procumbens (Allegheny Spurge)

and Goodyera pubescens (Downy Rattlesnake Orchid)

So nice, David!
Mahonia bealei is absolutely Loaded with buds. Bet some open tomorrow and there will be bees out.

How nice to see some signs of spring, even though I know this warm weather won't last.

tantefrancine, there is a "Walter's Viburnum"...Viburnum obovatum...and it sounds like it might be the one you're looking for. I never heard of it before you mentioned it. It's native to Florida, but also hardy in Zone 7.

Found my first crocus today!

Bees were busy and buzzy on Mahonia. I know that one is non native and potentially invasive, but seems well used by bees during these warm spells, so isn't that good? Does anyone know a native substitute?

Mahonia aquifolium is native to the U.S. (albeit to the West Coast), and should bloom at about the same time as M. bealei.
Hamamelis vernalis is blooming and I actually smelled mine today for the first time ever. I must have been outside and downwind at just the right time. It was nice!

Muddy1, I think it is Walter's Viburnum, but Michael Durr thought it could not survive in Ohio. I remember it so vividly, I was walking quickly without my coat between 2 buildings and I smell this wonderful fragrance, so I went back and sniffed around and then I notice all the blossoms. I asked what it was and finally I found out it was Viburnum, but did not know the exact name. It was pure white, even the buds and not very tall.