It’s an all too early spring when the golf course across the road has already opened. They actually opened yesterday — in the 12 years I’ve lived here, I’ve never seen it open this early.
Temperatures shown are in Celcius (white line shows normal average)
My Japanese cornel (Cornus officinalis) shrubs, which are located on the south-facing hill by my house (a very sheltered area) are starting to bloom. They are way ahead of where they normally would be.
The 14-day forecast (shown in illustration from the weather network) shows you what I’m afraid of. We have another week of above normal temperatures, and then a big plunge to below zero (to frost temperatures in Celsius), and not just a light frost, but back to hard frost. What’s going to happen to my Cornus blossoms? What if my star magnolia starts to flower?
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Good you checked the long term forecast. It does worry, when you go from balmy to freezy. What we need are tree sized blankets, I guess.
That’s exactly what I need, Sarah, tree-sized blankets. Last year our crab apple trees were hit while they were in full bloom.
And I am running very fast to harvest the willow before they start to leaf out. Many have catkins!
Lene
One of my favorite quotes: “Gardening is the only socially acceptable form of gambling.” We all have this idea that in some other era, the weather was consistent and predictable. I think that’s an illusion, or perhaps a fantasy. In the good ol’ days people prayed for a bountiful harvest because they were never assured of having one. Still, I always hate it when a beautiful spring is ruined by inclement weather.
Thanks, Kathy, I love that quote. I know from growing up on a farm that the weather was always iffy…
Anyway, it’s still pretty early, and things seemed to have to cooled down a bit, to my great relief.
The world is upside down Yvonne…I’m still freezing down here in the sunny (not so sunny) south!! Send me spring will ya!!
Relax, Eve. We’re freezing now too! (Written on Mar. 26, when I woke up to -7C.)