The wild swings in temperature in March are not unusual and hardly a concern early in the spring. Yes, the warm, sunny afternoons are glorious, but freezing nights and some chilly days are expected in the weeks to come. In the garden, the ups and downs aren’t a problem, in particular since the winter chill…

The garden is getting close. A year ago, this point was reached by early February, but a colder and snowier winter has delayed flowering by weeks. But we’re almost there. In milder winters, there will be short periods of bloom with holdover buds from autumn flowering and spring flowering camellias. The flowers are typically ruined…

I am never in a rush to begin the garden’s hard labor, and there is plenty to be done. With several very mild days in late February, I’m happy to delay the hours of cleanup, excusing that overwintering insects must not be disturbed. Conveniently, I take the word of those who claim expertise in such…

I’ve recently noted that flowering in the garden has been delayed by a chilly January and a weeks long cover of snow. Temperatures during the month were not extreme, just colder than in recent mild winters. Looking at my log of photos from the past year, I’m surprised by the abundant flowers in the first…

The weather forecast promises fifties (Fahrenheit) and a sixty degree day or two for the last week of February. I am long past ready for the cold to be over, so I designate this twenty-five degree day as the last of winter. Of course, there will be chilly days scattered through March and even into…

I can feel it. My enthusiasm is growing. On each sunny day, my wandering through the garden has become more focused. As last week’s snow melted, I paused to enjoy flowers of several hellebores (below), lifting buds to check progress on some, and removing a blanket of leaves that covered swelling buds on others. I’m…

Today’s snow should be no more than a minor inconvenience. Temperatures have risen just above freezing, and tomorrow will be considerably milder with rain by the weekend, so this snow cover is unlikely to stick around for long. The road out front was plowed early this morning, down to bare, wet pavement this time instead…

The longer I’m confined indoors by snow-covered ground and freezing temperatures, the more fantastical garden renovations become as I plan for spring. Of course, I continue to trudge through snow or mud or over frozen soil, but outdoor jaunts are more brief in the winter months. Still, in these few minutes, as I search out…

From the moment years ago when I saw the dormant, yellow twigged ‘Bihou’ Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Bihou’, below) at a garden center tradeshow in January, I knew I had to have one. Unfortunately, our company did not work with this specialty maple grower, so I waited several years before finally accepting a mailorder tree…

Take shelter feathered friends. Move beneath evergreens to protect from chunks of ice falling from the garden’s many trees. Seeds and berries will still be here when the danger has passed. I dare not venture into the garden until temperatures rise to melt the last of the icy coating. The sun will appear this afternoon,…

A chilly January and a cover of snow have delayed flowering that is anxiously monitored in winter’s closing weeks. No doubt, more cold will follow this welcome spell of mild temperatures, but now I anticipate one favorite bloom after another until spring’s arrival. I haven’t a clue how many hellebores are in the garden, but…