I am often asked when is the best time of year to start to study our flowers. I always tell people to start in January.

Before you write to tell me I have gone nuts let me explain – if you start to study flowers in the spring and summer there will be so many species that confusion soon sets in.

So then my advice is to start the study in winter when very few species need to be identified. Among the early flowers will be snowdrops soon to be followed by coltsfoot, lesser celandine, primrose and even barren strawberry.

The year 2011 will be of particular interest because of the freezing conditions which we have all had to endure in November and December.

I always greet the first snowdrop and the first daffodil by giving them a salute. Many years ago I met with David Kerr who was a skilled naturalist in the Burnley area.

He worked in the coal fields as a blacksmith. David always raised his hand to the first snowdrop and the first swallow of the spring! I now do the same.

These days I always advise people to photograph the flowers and with digital cameras improving year by year this is easy to do.

Why don’t you join in my 2011 flower watch by sending your photographs to the Lancashire Telegraph? Email njohnson@lancashire.

newsquest.co.uk.

Perhaps in December 2011 we can publish the readers’ observations.