Eccentric Quite Unexpected Emergence

Following exceptional downpours in London, our chestnut (which had seemed stone-dead) jumped the Winter or reverted to Spring, astonishing us with, either, dormant buds, or shoots anticipating 2023, as it produced these disparate, pristine, fresh and vibrant leaves against the funereal ginger backdrop we had become accustomed to; quite a unique sight never witnessed here before:

 

Well there's a post of literary exception. Words placed as if being offered a chance to entice the reader to experience the Autumnal brilliance of nature.
Better than reading 'hey, I thought my conker was dead!'

 

My one and only Rhododendron is just putting out new shoots I notice.
After it flowered the new shoots should have come from the back of the old flower buds but it was too dry, so nothing grew.
Its doing it now, we need a mild winter.

 

Since posting those two solitary clusters (above), a whole spray of new leaves has appeared; there are even some new shoots unfurling, seemingly from nowhere; this suggests the tree's mindset has sprung to next Spring; we are excited to experience our first time-machine.

 

I think we could see a fair amount of die back on plants and trees which are doing this.

Its a similar effect to when we get a mild spell in January and February followed by a cold snap in March or April.