Not bad. I can’t complain much about relatively minor damage following two nights with freezes in the mid-twenties (Fahrenheit). Yes, as expected the flowers of ‘Merrill’ magnolia (before and after the freeze, below) were ruined. A shame, but the blooms were enjoyed for a week. Late opening flowers of ‘Royal Star’ were spared, and only a few blooms of ‘Jane’ were damaged.

Luckily, yellow flowering magnolias ‘Elizabeth’ and Yellow Bird’ slowed in opening as the cold approached, so these will flower in seventy degree days early in the week.

While damage to flowers is disappointing, I was most concerned about Japanese maples with tender, emerging leaves (above). Several suffered in a late April freeze a year ago, remaining thinly leafed through the year. I’m hopeful they will recover fully with this spring’s growth. Fortunately, I see no injury from this week’s freeze on growth that was most vulnerable. Damage to a few magnolias and camellias’ blooms (below) is not bad. Certainly, better than expected.