I really should say first "poor little Iris," given that it is trying to bloom in below freezing temps and snow. Despite the temperature never getting out of the mid-30s F. yesterday, Sunday's snow started to melt on all our stonework. Ethel made an appearance last night around dinner time, making a landing in a very small amount of open water. The slushy, frozen pond was so dark that her own dark brown plumage was barely visible against it. Another storm is on the way and is supposed to begin around 10 a.m. this morning and continue until 4 a.m. Thursday, bringing 4-6 more inches of snow.
The good news is they appear to have lifted the freezing rain warning. The bad news — other than the snow itself — is that my first shipment of plants arrive on Friday. I only ordered spring shipments from two nurseries online. I didn't want them all to come at the same time so I indicated shipping dates of the end of this week and the end of next week, just the way I usually do. Oops, not the right move this year. Temperatures are supposed to significantly warm up by the weekend and continue that way for at least the next ten days. But all that potential snow means a soggy garden that I won't be able to work in until who knows when.
The flower in the photo is Iris reticulata but I am not sure which variety. I planted a few new ones last fall and won't be able to id them until I see the full spectrum of flowers.
