Surprised by a precocious Iris!

It’s cold today and was even colder last night. Indeed the prospects for the next few days are cold, with some hope of a warmer (less cold?) week next week and a threatened possibility of something really cold and wintry before the month is out. I went out to the greenhouse to see what the overnight temperature in there had been, and what a lovely surprise! This is Iris Reticulata “Kath Hodgkin”. I’ve no real experience of growing these so I don’t know whether this January bloom is supposed to happen, or whether its an accident or a freak of nature. Whatever it is it’s right welcome as a cheery hint of that which we trust will come.