True Believers

Walking by one of my troughs the other day I wondered what the hell I saw out of the corner of my eye.  Turns out it was the new buds of pulsatilla pratensis 'Bohemica' covered in fine droplets of mist.  What a bizarre sight.

I'm in love with saxifraga 'Pluto' and I don't care who knows. 

Despite the April (ahem) snowfall, these guys believe that it's spring.

First Day of Spring

A nor'easter on the spring equinox?  The fourth one this month? Another foot of snow? 

...SIGH...

It's spring in my heart, at the very least.

I'm Sorry, Spring Has Been Postponed

I was hoping to get out into the garden this weekend and do a big spring cut-down and clean up, but nor'easter #2 had other ideas.  We got 8+ inches of heavy snow on Wednesday, cracking trees (damn Callery pears) and bringing down many branches.  We counted ourselves lucky not to lose power this time, uunlike nor'easter #1 ten days ago.  It was sobering to be out shoveling at the tail end of the storm and to hear the trees breaking around us in the neighborhood.  

I've been stuck inside doing garden pavilion drawings, reading about plants, and making notes about gardening.  The Tommy crocuses didn't seem to mind the snow as much as I did, blooming their heads off both before and after.

Nor'easter #3 is scheduled for tomorrow, with more snow predicted.

'Not Today, Spring!', cackles Winter

No gardening this weekend.  Still defrosting from the almost-blizzard.

Helleboricide?

After a couple very unseasonal warm spells in late March, it was 12 degrees last Sunday morning. I was horrified to find all of the hellebores, including this gorgeous purple one in front of the house, face down on the cold ground.  They stayed that way for a couple days and I wondered if that was it for hellebore blooms this year.

By midweek the stems had started to perk up one by one, rising off the canvas like knocked down boxers ready for more.

Friday morning's snow was kind of pretty, although unwelcome.

The same hellebore is covered today, like many of its brethren, as the weather early next week looks anything but pretty.

When can we get off this rollercoaster?