Spring has sprung in Cornwall today as the six beautiful Magnolia trees, historically used to chart the emergence of the season, herald the end of the British Winter.
Blooms on the South West Peninsular appear a lot earlier than the rest of the UK mainland thanks to its warmer climate.
And the six giant Magnolia campbellii trees, situated in six of Cornwall’s greatest gardens, have become the country’s unofficial guide to Spring.
When each tree has more than 50 blooms Spring is said to have finally arrived in England – often weeks ahead of the Spring Equinox on March 20.
The gardens have their own joint website and people can check on the progress of the flowering on a special bloomometer.
And last year the Cornish bloomometer announced Spring had started on February 10, with a special delivery of Magnolia blooms to the Prime Minister in Downing Street.
The giant trees, which were planted between 1860 and 1976, can be seen at Caerhays Castle Gardens; Trebah Garden; Tregothnan; Trewidden; Trewithen and The Lost Gardens of Heligan.
Chairman of the Great Gardens of Cornwall, Charles Williams, said: “It’s a lovely day when we realise we have hit the 50-bloom target.
“It makes us feel as though the worst of our cold and miserable Winter is over and gives us all a renewed spring in our step.
“Our wonderful climate here in Cornwall means we are weeks ahead of the rest of the country and it’s important to us that people visiting the area don’t miss out.”
The Cornish Spring was the idea of The Nare Hotel proprietor Toby Ashworth, who realised his guests were arriving too late to see the glorious Magnolias.
He said: “While the north of the UK is still in the grips of Winter, Cornwall is well into Spring with much warmer weather.
“But visiting in May means many people will miss out on some of the most wonderful flowerings, including the early blooming Magnolia trees.
“It really is worth coming here earlier. The Magnolia trees are breath-taking and they really do prove, without a doubt, that Spring comes first to Cornwall.”