Spring has been sounding its first notes: the warm haze of red maples, the glow of forsythia in yards and gardens, and the delicate trumpets of honeysuckle have appeared. Most of the early arrivals are non-natives, but blueberries, sassafras and other native plants are also beginning to emerge.

As with the flowers, new leaves usually appear in late April, but that process, known as leaf-out, lasts only about four to six weeks before the season is in full swing. Both processes are triggered by warming temperatures and other factors. Some species respond only to lengthening days, and most temperate species require an adequately cold winter in order to emerge in the spring.

Variations in temperature can affect the timing of flowering and leaf-out around the Island. Many longtime Islanders report a distinct lag time up-Island, where colder temperatures usually mean a later spring.