In January, February and March, the days start getting longer again. But it is still cold, and sometimes there is still snow on the ground. Even so, new life is already stirring in nature. The first spring flowers bloom despite frost and snow. We call them early bloomers.

At this time of year, the trees let in plenty of light because they have not yet grown leaves. Some plants make use of this light, as they have to live in the shade of the trees in summer. They begin to flower and grow. The soil is still too cold for them to absorb nutrients. But many early bloomers formed root tubers or bulbs the previous year, where they stored nutrients. They live off these now. They usually have no trouble with the cold; some are even specially protected against it.

There are up to ninety different species of squill, including Siberian squill. It is closely related to the two-leaf squill. They are called squills because their flowers often glow a beautiful blue, almost like the sky on a sunny day. Squills grow from bulbs. Their stems grow to about 10 to 15 cm long, with up to 3 flowers on each stem. Squills bloom from March to April. They spread by seed or by bulbs that grow from the mother bulb. These bulbs can also be planted in autumn. The seeds are often spread by ants. Squills grow in forests, as well as in parks and gardens. They like shady or partly shady spots. When they spread into the wild, they can grow in great numbers.

The wood anemone is one of the first plants we can enjoy in spring. It blooms from March to April/May. The plants grow to about 10 to 25 cm tall. Three so-called bracts grow on each stem, but only one flower. The flower itself consists of 6 to 8 petals.

Wood anemones grow from a rhizome about 30 centimetres long. This is an underground, branching rootstock that also stores nutrients. New plants can grow from different parts of the rhizome. Flowering wood anemones can be found in our forests in early spring. They need plenty of light, so they only flower while the trees are still bare. They often grow in large numbers. All parts of the plant are poisonous, so you should never eat any of them.

The Christmas rose is also known as black hellebore, Christmas flower or snow rose. Its flowers are white to reddish and consist of 5 petals. The Christmas rose grows to 15 to 30 cm tall. Its scientific name is "Helleborus niger".

The Christmas rose got its name because it can produce its first flowers as early as Christmas. The plant is found mainly in southern Europe and the Alps. In the past, it was grown in gardens as a medicinal plant. Substances extracted from it were used to treat kidney inflammation, urinary poisoning and dropsy.

Some of the compounds in the Christmas rose are poisonous. They can cause nausea, diarrhoea, shortness of breath and irregular heartbeat. Ancient accounts tell how, in 600 BC, the Greek city of Kirrha was under siege. The besiegers diverted a river that flowed through the city. The inhabitants suffered from extreme thirst. After a few days, the besiegers let the river water flow back into the city. However, they had poisoned it with Christmas rose roots. The inhabitants drank the water and were then afflicted by severe diarrhoea, forcing them to surrender the city.

The forsythia blooms as early as March, before its green leaves appear. It was named after the English gardener William Forsyth. Its botanical name is "Forsythia".Forsythias grow to between one and three metres tall. They belong to the olive family and are related to the olive tree. Olive trees, however, are found mainly in countries around the Mediterranean. The olive family includes more than 900 species. Forsythia originally grew mainly in Asia and south-eastern Europe. Here, it was first planted as an ornamental shrub in gardens and parks.Related plants include lilac, privet and jasmine, as well as African blackwood, which grows in southern Africa. Insects are not attracted to forsythia, so you will rarely see them on its flowers. Forsythia flowers produce no nectar, only pollen.

The common hazel grows as a shrub. It can grow up to 7 m tall. In the past, hazel was thought to ward off witches and evil spirits. It is sometimes still called witch hazel today. Male and female flowers grow on the same shrub. The male flowers form hanging catkins. The hazel blooms from February to April. The reddish female flowers develop into tasty hazelnuts, which are enjoyed by people and animals alike. Many different insect species also feed on the leaves, fruit or sap of the common hazel. 

Unfortunately, hazel pollen triggers allergies in some people. Its botanical name is “Corylus avelana”.

Coltsfoot is also known by many other names, such as horse’s-foot, field coltsfoot, foal’s foot, horsehoof and bricklayer’s flower.

This plant is found on embankments, scree slopes, and along the edges of paths and fields. From February to April, it sends up its yellow flowers. The leaves grow only afterward. These leaves grow to about the size of a hand and resemble the shape of a hoof or a heart. The plant as a whole grows to about 10 to 30 centimetres tall.

Coltsfoot reproduces by seeds and underground runners called rhizomes. The plant is very hardy, can spread quickly and is often one of the first plants to grow on damaged soil. Its flowers, leaves and roots have long been used as remedies. They are sometimes used to make tea for coughs or asthma. Its botanical name is “Tussilago farfara”.

In Latin, the word "prima" means first. Primroses are flowers that bloom very early in the year. There are about 500 species of primrose.

The cushion primrose is especially common here and is easy to grow and propagate. This plant is sometimes also called the "stemless cowslip" or simply "primrose". There are around 400 different species, with flowers in many colours. It is a very popular spring flower.Cushion primroses grow from seed. They reach about 10 cm in height. The plant forms a rootstock, also known as a clump. Most cushion primroses are now grown in pots in greenhouses and planted out in gardens in March. They flower from February to April. The botanical name is "Primula vulgaris".

Crocuses come in many colours, such as purple, white and yellow—but not a true red. They flower from the end of February until May. There are about 235 species of crocus, found across Western Asia, Europe and North Africa, and as far east as China. 

Crocuses are small, rarely growing taller than 12 cm. Their leaves are lance-shaped. If you want crocuses to grow in the same spot the following year, don’t cut off the leaves after flowering. That’s why crocuses are better suited to growing under trees or in flower beds than on a lawn. Crocuses originate from the Mediterranean region. A crocus grows from a corm.

The precious spice saffron is obtained from the crocus species “Crocus sativus.” In the past, saffron was used to dye textiles and cakes. An old nursery rhyme says: ... saffron makes the cake yellow.”

The liverleaf grows to about 10 to 25 cm tall. The plants stay green even in winter. They form a broad rhizome in the soil. This is an underground stem with many shoots, branches and offshoots that can reach up to 30 cm into the ground.

Liverworts bloom from March to April, making them among the earliest plants to flower in spring. The flowers close in rainy weather and in the evening. Repeated opening causes the flower-covering leaves to grow, so that during the flowering season they reach about twice their original size.

The flowers produce no nectar, but they produce plenty of pollen, attracting bees, beetles and hoverflies. The flowers last for about eight days.