Mr. Freeze came and went and with him also went most of the leaves on my Japanese maples. Even covered, at 25F, it was just too cold for them. Perhaps, if this happens next year, I’ll string Christmas lights under the sheets and save the foliage. It’s a thought.
I could focus on this, but instead, I think we’ll look at what is beautiful and what was saved.
I covered most of the Heucheras, but even those I didn’t cover did well. When the landscaper redid the front garden, he left me most of his containers. I used the three and five gallon pots to great effect, covering the most delicate of flowers. The black pots were fantastic insulators. Too bad there weren’t pots big enough for the maples. The visualization of that just makes me laugh.
Most of the tulips survived. Some were a little worse for wear, but still, an amazing triumph I think. Earlier in the spring, it was so warm I feared all of the tulips would bloom themselves out in a matter of days. With the cold snaps and a planting of early, mid and late bloomers, we’ve had a much longer tulip season than usual.
Lent is over, and Holy Week has begun. Easter is announcing its arrival, and I almost want to cheer as it approaches. Easter means so many things to me, as a Christian and as a gardener. It is as if all of nature rejoices.
I rejoice in the beauty of your tulips, and have to tell you that I may be developing appreciation for daylilies. 🙂
CurtissAnn´s last blog post..Monday’s Fair Light– Moving On Begins
I rejoice in the fact that we get to have lunch and a friend meeting on Friday. I hope you like daylilies soon because they will grow great in your new Alabama home. That makes me choke up you know. I will miss you being only an hour away. Who will eat with me at P.F. Chang’s?~~Dee
It could certainly have been worse–a lot of snow on fully-leafed out trees can break and ruin them. We are still replacing trees in our area from when that happened in 2006. Still, that is terrible to have such major structural plants damaged this badly. I hope that you see a bit of regeneration this season.
Oh Dee…I’m so sorry. We had a few nights in the 20s here, too, and I covered my budded magnolias and the snow fountain cherry, but nothing else was leafed out enough to matter. In fact, the leaves on things are just now starting to open.
Beautiful, what you saved though! I’ve used black plastic pots in that way, too.
Hello Dee, I haven’t commented in a while and tonight I decided to indulge myself with some good reading time. It is fun to follow your correspondence with MA and Carol ~ I love that your personalities come through. I’m so sorry that your Holy Week has been chilly, though. Sending prayers for a dose of redemptive sunshine on Easter!
xoxo Debra
debra´s last blog post..You say Toe-MAY-toe; I say Toe-MAH-Toe
How sad to see the maple burnt by the frost. Will the foliage regenerate this spring?
You have a good positive outlook though, and some beauties left to grace your garden for Easter.
Have a wonderful celebration with your family, Dee.
kerri´s last blog post..Down by the Riverside
I hope the garden will rebound and reward you with some blooms on Easter morning.
Cindy, MCOK´s last blog post..Through the Garden Gate: Monday, April 6th
I like your attitude, Dee. It’s hard to garden if we focus only on the tragedies to the exclusion of the joys. And one never knows, perhaps the Japanese maple foliage will be resurrected. Tis the season for that.
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Ouch. That poor maple. Guess I have to stop feeling bad about the cold week I’m having. At least there was nothing up yet that a freeze would hurt.
On the positive side, the time off gave me a chance to join Blotanical and ‘find’ you again. So many blogs – so many sidetracks 🙂
wiseacre´s last blog post..Spring Flight of a Winter Generation Butterfly
Poor little maple. You should see the tips of most of my tomatoes. Tragic.
I have been chewing off my fingernails, Dee, wondering how your garden weathered the storm. The black pots sounds like a brilliant idea; I’m going to use that one. I’m glad you’re heading into Easter week with somethig to rejoice about as a gardener!
–Kate
themanicgardener´s last blog post..You’re feeding them WHAT? Well, antibiotics, hormones, and — HEAVY METALS?
I’m sorry for the burnt maples, but it sounds as if overall you were pretty lucky. Whew, now those late freezes are surely out of the way. Right?
Pam/Digging´s last blog post..Burst of spring color
I hate to hear that you got frost. We came very close, just within a degree of two of freezing. We lucked out but it could still happen.
Phillip´s last blog post..First rose of the year
Well, that’s a pretty novel idea. Stringing lights on it to see if you might save it. That’s a good one, Dee!
Brenda
Brenda Kula´s last blog post..Caught In The Act
There is always some good with the bad, but I am sorry about the maples!
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Good attitude, although it is a drag to see the damaged things. (Just keep looking down.) I love the combo of the ‘El Nino’ Tulips & the Peony foliage. Thank goodness for Tulips.
Mr. McGregor’s Daughter´s last blog post..It’s a Blooming Party in the Garden
Gardening may be the most exasperating occupation under the sun, but it gives as much as it gets–no more no less. Life in a garden is one long war with the powers of Evil, but the victory is worth winning. Maddening catastrophes are followed by spectacular triumphs. One minute you are flat on your face, and the next you are soaring on the wings of the morning. ~Reginald Arkell
Gardeners are the ones who ruin after ruin get on with the high defiance of nature herself, creating, in the very face of her chaos and tornado, the bower of roses and the pride of irises. . . . Defiance . . . is what makes gardeners. ~Henry Mitchell
Keep on keeping on.
I am glad to hear that not much of your garden was ruined. I haven’t been in my garden to see what has happened the past couple of nights that went to freezing. I am hoping not much damage was done. I don’t think my garden was as far ahead as yours.
Yesterday the weather here was so nice, I just wanted to scream because only hours before, my poor plants were being killed by the freeze. My poor newly sprouted Rose of Sharons didn’t make it, and a few others were brown and limp. Once again, I HOPE that was the last freeze here for the season.
Hi Dee,
What a wonderful post title! I was immediately drawn to it! I’m sorry about the loss of your maple leaves this year. I wonder if it will be able to put out more leaves for the summer…you never know:-) Hope prevails!!
I suppose this is what we gardeners must do to survive…look on the bright side and towards the future. You’re doing a great job at just that!
My dear…I am so sorry about the maples… maybe the lights would warm them up! Use the old fashioned incandescent ones they give off heat! You are one of the most positive gardeners in my acquaintance and I am delighted to know you! I am off to the post office with your PPPP in tow! Hugs, Gail