Spring is Here!!

We are back to severe frosts but this morning dawned bright and sunny so I decided to check the front flower bed.I think I just needed to get out to the garden anyway and breathe in some 'green' air!Lots of daffodil bulbs around and under the shrubs,I think some grape hyacinth are appearing under the willow. I have heard it mentioned that the frost has been so severe this year it has gone down to 36cms which I think is what they can get in Canada with their prolonged cold winter! Our daffs are a hardy plant to pop up through that. Maybe they knew we were getting a big freeze as they have been up by the end of November early December for the last few years but narry a sign of them this year until well into January?!
This strange looking tree is a miniature tree called a Kilmarnock Willow,
I tie the branches like this each Spring to help it keep its shape as I found the branches are inclined to grow straight up after a couple of years.The string is not visible once the leaves grow. It is covered in tiny buds which may be just visible in the photo.
Catkins developing on the contorted Hazel, so the shrubs have just shaken off the effects of one of our worst winters in 60 years and are just getting on with things as usual.
I am lucky in that I don't have any shrubs or trees like banana or tree ferns which I have heard are destroyed from the frost, some Cordylines too have just become mush and may never recover.
I suppose we did become complacent over the last number of years having milder and milder winters we thought we were in the tropics!
My poor Lillies, my frost victims but I am hoping they will recover, this is the plant of mushy unrecognisable foliage before I pulled it all away and I have covered the whole area around them with new compost. It may be a case of closing the stable door after the horse has gone but gardening is always hoping for miracles at least!
I must ask everyone to pop over to allotment2kitchen blog to read the devastation on their plot, not from snow or frost but sheer vandalism. Give a word of encouragement and support.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Last week we had some warm temps, but this week we are also back to winter weather. They are calling for snow tonight and this weekend.

I see life popping out in the yard too this past weekend.

Willow
January 25, 2010 at 6:39 PM
Fee said…
Wow see you will be in bloom and harvesting in no time - Can't wait to see them bloom sad to see your lilly loking like that but you never know it may come back.
January 25, 2010 at 9:17 PM
Anonymous said…
Hi Peggy,
Way over here we also had a cold winter..the coldest winter in over 25 years. My daffodils are up also. I even saw a couple of the flowers up.
I was looking for my hyacinth yesterday but I didn't see any up. Maybe soon..
My day lillies are looking mushy after the last freeze.
I can't wait until spring.

I like how you tie your branches on the Kilmarnock Willow. I have seen Wisteria vines trained in that fashion around here.

Have a great day.
Pam
January 26, 2010 at 4:35 PM
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