Amidst the joy of the garden are disheartening points of brown that disrupt the beauty of spring. I’m encouraged to see growth emerging that will soon replace foliage damaged by a single twenty-six degree night (Fahrenheit). But today, the brown of Japanese maples and magnolias is a sore thumb surrounded by spring splendor.

Fortunately, only a fraction of the Japanese maples suffered, scattered randomly and without a discernible reason for one’s damage with a neighbor unscathed. Through the first half of spring, I expect newly emerging leaves to be susceptible to cold damage, but older leaves were damaged while new growth was often unspoiled. In any case, in a few weeks the brown will drop, replaced by new leaves.

A few magnolias escaped without damage. I see new leaves coming on several that lost newly emerged foliage, with the native sweetbay magnolias (Magnolia virginiana) the worst and the slowest to show growth. Again, I expect all to recover fully.

In the short term, I’m overjoyed by the vibrancy of flowers and foliage as I stroll the garden, but around the next corner I’m saddened by a leafless crape myrtle or partially browned Japanese maple. I’m particularly distressed that the fringetrees went from full bloom to brown and leafless overnight. I know, be patient.