For the second year running I am seeing Stinking Hellebore (Hellborus foetidus) coming into flower in mid-autumn. I expect H. foetidus to bloom early in the new year; October is placing it more in the category of a late flowering perennial rather than an early one.

 Flowering times for most plants can vary by weeks from year to year according to climatic conditions. That is not unusual but H. foetidus seems to have reset its biological clock. Time will tell whether this is permanent or temporary.