Australia is experiencing an unusually early spring this year, with notable shifts in blooming patterns across the country. Traditionally, kangaroo paws in Cranbourne, located southeast of Melbourne, flower in late September. However, this year, these vibrant Western Australian plants began their bloom in July.
This early display has been accompanied by a surge of other spring flowers, leading to an unexpected influx of wildlife.
Mandy Thomson, acting horticulture manager at the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne, observes an array of birds and insects, including New Holland honeyeaters and fairy wrens, drawn to the abundant blossoms.
The unusual early spring is not limited to Cranbourne. In the Australian Botanic Garden at Mount Annan, Sydney’s west, paper daisies have also appeared a few weeks ahead of schedule, continuing a trend observed for the second consecutive year.
Paper daisies at Mount Annan arrive ahead of schedule, reflecting unusual warming trends.Chris Cole, the garden’s horticulture supervisor, notes that these daisies typically begin blooming in early spring but are now arriving earlier due to the warming climate.
In alpine Jindabyne, New South Wales, the melting snow has given way to blooming wattle buds, while in storm-stricken Melbourne, the fragrance of jasmine fills the air. This mix of seasonal blooms is attributed to warmer winters, which have reduced the number of frost days traditionally needed to delay flowering.
Climate change is playing a significant role in these early blooms. Rising temperatures and prolonged warm periods are shifting seasonal patterns.
University of Melbourne climate scientist Linden Ashcroft highlights that Australia’s average temperatures have risen by 1.5°C since 1910, leading to an earlier onset of spring. The trend reflects a broader pattern of climate impact, where typical seasonal cues are increasingly disrupted.
As Australia adapts to these changes, the joy of early spring is tinged with concern over the broader implications of climate change on natural cycles.