10 degrees at this time of year makes a big difference. They updated the forecast for next week forecast (thank goodness!) because it was previously showing night temps in the upper twenties to mid-30s. PLUS as of the writing of this diary, they took back the 3-5” snow forecast for April 7 (yay!!) While last year’s April-is-May weather was not usual, neither is this month’s April-is-March weather. I’m just hoping that we don’t get May-is-April weather that we got last year. And yes, I’m one of those that somehow never has time to clear up her photos in her phone, so I have all these weather forecast snapshots from years past!
5-10 degrees difference affects how some plants grow and develop at the start of spring.
Aside from the blue skies, the almond tree is nowhere near blooming just yet!
My spring camellias this year just look cold! No way they’re gonna open up in the chilly temps. Just look at that tight fisted bud.
Even the marsh marigolds (Caltha palustris) knows better than to bloom just yet. You can see the tightly fisted flowerbuds just starting to shoot their tall stems upward. I think the more than several snows we’ve had covering them has also slowed things down. Marsh marigolds are very cold hardy and are usually the earliest blooming flower (aside from the hellebores!)
Last year’s May-in-April caused an early algae bloom in the pond and the American bullfrog emerged. This year the koi are still hanging out down at the bottom of the pond where it’s stays a bit warmer. Waters clear so far.
The hellebore in the foreground from last year has not yet bloomed. It is one that tends to bloom later in the spring (around May). The one in the photo for this year is the one in the back in the year before. My hellebores overall stalled at some point in late winter. We then had a spate of warmer temps and they took off. This is fairly typical of hellebores.
Mei sez: Dust off your camera and take some pix!So… what’s going on in your garden? Winter is supposed to behind us, but until I see steady night temps in the 40s, I’m still not yet a believer.
We also are in need of some diarist’s this month!!
April 14 — Vol 14.15
April 21 — Vol 14.16
April 28 — Vol 14.17
May 5 — Vol 14.18