After a winter that was too long and cold, the spring has been joyful. There has hardly been a day to complain about, and certainly the gardener must enjoy the few cool and rainy days that have made the ground ideal for planting. Many early bloomers were pushed a week or two late by the cold, but recent temperatures have been warm and most flowers are now on target.

Late frosts seem inevitable in most years, but this spring there have been no cold nights since mid March to threaten magnolia blooms or tender leaves emerging on Japanese maples.

Damage from winter’s cold is now becoming evident. Hydrangeas require drastic pruning, though not to the ground for most as was necessary a year ago. A few young Japanese maples have suffered, and one that was planted and stressed by neglect through last summer must be replaced, but this is not much to whine about. No doubt, the damage could have been worse.

Again today, I will keep the script brief, and we’ll get right to the garden since there is too much to keep up with if everything is to be covered. Today we’ll cover a few of the garden’s trees, though we’ll hold off on the dogwoods and redbuds until next week. In a few days we’ll get back around to smaller flowers.