There’s never a shortage of tribulations and trivialities for the gardener to whine about, and he does. He curses the snow and ice, but also rain that saturates and shatters perfect flowers of peonies. Particular venom is reserved for heat and drought, but it is cold, and especially cold too long into spring that is most reviled.

Not that it could possibly happen, but would the gardener be content if nothing went wrong, if weather remained perfect? If there was no black spot, or lacebugs? On a splendid seventy degree day in late winter, he is conflicted, joyfully basking in the sun, but still concerned by the probability of calamities in future years as winters become more mild and springs arrive earlier. Also, disasters that lurk in the cold next week.

In recent years, unusual February warmth prompted growth that was damaged by brief spells of cold that are inevitable in early spring. This will not be a problem this year, despite warm temperatures in late February. The mildness was too short in duration, and followed by weeks of chilly temperatures. The past two years, hydrangeas and Japanese maples were nearly in full leaf by the start of April. This year, there’s barely a swelling bud to be seen. And, with twenty degree temperatures on the way (again), the lack of growth is, for once, a good thing. While magnolia blooms might be blackened in the freeze, t’s unlikely that much or anything else will be damaged.

And here, of course, is when the gardener howls about this cold early spring, how unfair this is. And it is less than ideal, but certainly the continued coolness is better than worrying that the garden will be ruined. No matter his whining, it could be much worse.