The first two days of April haven't been an auspicious representation of what is meant to be springtime.
March is always a capricious month in terms of weather; this year balmy days at the end of February encouraged pear and cherry trees to bloom, roses to put forth leaves, only to be blighted by nights below the freezing mark.
March, 2018, will be memorable for a succession of grey days, mizzling cold rain that sometimes grew to downpour status.
Peonies clambering through a tangle of mugwort and dried grass.
Perennials--and weeds--have continued to emerge from the chilly soil.
Having learned that my most invasive weed is 'mugwort'--a plant with thuggish characteristics--I'm not optimistic about keeping ahead of it.
Jim discovered that a large sweet potato living beneath a pantry shelf had sprouted.
Sweet potato plants are sold here in bundles of 25 slips--really more than we need. If these sprouts grow on well there should be enough for a decent crop.
I was amused to note that our neighbor's goats didn't recognize me when I walked down the lane during a sunny break in the cloud cover. If you look closely you will see their guard dog, Aneto, huddled behind them. Starting to the right of Aneto, the goats are named Chinkapin; Zenobia; Delphinium; Edelweiss; Daffodil.
As happened last year, the nameless rose in the fence corner has been hardest hit by frost.
When we have a dry and sunny day I will give it a sharp pruning.
Blue skies and sunshine have been rare enough that they must be recorded.
Creeping phlox must be a short-lived perennial. The roadside bank below the big house at the end of the lane was covered in mats of bloom--pink, blue, lavender--for the first two years that we were here. Now only a few bedraggled patches remain.
Cobwebs dotted the browned area near the side porch on Saturday morning. This sloping area isn't worthy of the term 'lawn'--it is a rough area of mixed grasses, invading dandelions and low-growing weeds--Jim keeps it mowed, but it gets no other refinements.
Tulips planted by the former owner have [finally] blossomed at the foot of a cedar where the 'lawn' meets the gravel lane.
Violets are appearing in the verge along the lane.
The potted miniature roses have been moved to the south-facing edge of the side porch.
We wait for the season to sort itself, hoping to experience a gentle spring before pitching headlong into summer.
Spring seems to be a season that Mother Nature has trouble corralling. Or is it winter that's the troublesome one...the one that just won't give up? Too often, it almost seems that spring is skipped, and we just plunge right into summer full-steam ahead. I love the goats and their names!
ReplyDeleteChip; Our neighbor bestows quite fanciful names on her goats. A letter of the alphabet is designated for each year--perhaps something required for registry [?]
DeleteThis was not a 'bad' winter--only the one blizzard--but the cold and wet have hung on until we are ready for a change.
I hope you get to enjoy some lovely spring weather before summer gets here.
ReplyDeleteLoved the picture of the goats with the guard standing behind them. What neat names they have.
Have a great week ~ Love & hugs ~ FlowerLady
Rainey; Spring--in some fashion--does arrive each year--it does grieve me to watch as plants, such as my heirloom clematis, are frost nipped.
DeleteFarmers in the area are waiting for fields to dry enough to get the crops in.
March was a cold, grey month here, so unusual. April is looking better, but lots of rain forecast. Need to get out in the garden, but not a lot of energy yet.
ReplyDeleteJanet; I hope you will soon feel well enough for some gardening--or at least sitting out on the deck or enjoying your pool. March for you has surely been a trial.
DeleteMarch came in like a lion here and left like a lamb, but since then we have had our share of rain AND more. Little snippets of sunshine but so fleeting . . .
ReplyDeleteI was intrigued by the little Yellow Violet. Not one we have here, I believe.
It is good to see your garden returning to life. I have some glimmers of the season changing, but all too slowly for me. I haven't even started seeds off yet as it has been so cold and miserable (there was snow in Brecon area and Herefordshire yesterday AGAIN) so will be all behind like the donkey's tail!
Lovely photos - esp. the goats and Willis.
Jennie; I think the yellow violets are more rare than the purple--while the purple are apt to rebloom, the yellow are quickly gone.
DeleteSadly, the weeds in my garden have flourished in spite of weather that has been off-putting to the plants I cherish.
It's so funny to see that most of the blogs I read are posting the same thing--all about this fray, cold, wet spring. It has encouraged my daffodils to bloom a lot longer at least. Today it looks almost like a normal spring day--except for the soggy ground underfoot and the forecast for more snow on the way.
ReplyDeleteSue; I think we are all impatient with waiting for the spring weather that doesn't quite happen.
DeleteWild daffodils had a long season here--snowed upon once, frosted several times, but they kept holding up their heads.