April Has Been the Cruelest Month – Almost Over

  • Post published:04/30/2012
  • Post comments:6 Comments
White daffs benealth white Miss Willmott lilac

April proved herself to be the cruelest month indeed this year alternating summer and winter temperatures. The past couple of nights we’ve had frost – and this after we had gotten quite used to balmy temperatures and tender zephyrs in mid-month. Now these lovely white daffodils might as well be snow cover – it is so cold. And windy. And dry.

My Early Garden in front of the house is still adorned with row covers that blow and blow in  the wind. I think they are making the lettuces quite tough. And yet, with all the cold and wind plant growth is inching forward. Rhubarb leaves are up – and in need of serious weeding. Actually, almost every bed is in need of serious weeding.

Thalia

Some of the daffodils are later bloomers. I am particularly fond of this one, and I will be sending off to Old House Gardens for more. The daffs are planted in the lawn and you can see the hawkweed in my ‘flowery mead’ is budding up nicely.

Grape hyacinths and daffs

Grape hyacinths are beginning to bloom – and some of them have scattered themselves in unlikely places. I am glad there are flowers that have the stamina to withstand heat and cold in our New England spring, but this year I am really ready for for the warmth and libelous displays of May.

This Post Has 6 Comments

  1. Nan

    We had maybe three days of 80s early on, and then it got cold and windy. My poor Sadie is frightened of wind and it has been constant all month. I leave jazz on at night to help mask the sound. :<) We got the leeks, onions, and lettuce in but the l. seeds haven't come up yet. The plants haven't even grown much. Only a teeny bit of snow though so I can't complain. I'm going to look into the white daffs. I got my scilla and grape hyacinths from Old House Gardens. Great people.

  2. Jason

    I call it The Hurry Up and Wait Spring. First the plants are hurried into growth and blooming by the very warm, very early weather. Then all is put on hold as the temperatures plunge. Luckily very little damage, it seems. You’ve got tougher weather than we do, though.

  3. kris at Blithewold

    We have been spared frost, luckily. Did any new growth on your trees and shrubs get touched or is it all OK?

  4. Pat

    Nan – the weather has been a roller coaster. No snow, happily! Slow growth on the vegetable plants, with the spinach finally germinating. Old House Gardens is a great place.
    Jason – I celebrate today’s rain, and hope for more appropriate temperatures this week to settle everything down.
    Kris – Fortunately, I think trees and shrubs suffered very little. I’m not sure about the wisteria. We’ll see.

  5. BJ Roche

    Pat, I planted some of these pretty white daffs, which were the last to bloom, along with some pretty blue grape hyacinths in my new bed, and it is a beautiful mix! See you soon…
    BJ

  6. Pat

    BJ – blue and white is an unbeatable combo. I should probably add those to my blue and white bed, and get something going there early in the season.

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