The last word on April snow

The temperature as I write this at 8 a.m. is 28 degrees F. (-2.22  C.). It's supposed to hit a high of 42 degrees F. (5.55 C.) by this afternoon. But the pond is still freezing every night and has ice on it that has never melted so far this spring. Next week looks like highs swinging back and forth from the 30s into the 40s. Since our average daily high is supposed to be in the 50s, we are clearly not where we are supposed to be yet.

Last year my garden was well into the season as you can see from these two pictures which were taken on April 11, 2017. This year the garden is still almost entirely brown except for evergreens and the snowy bits. 

The extreme difference from last spring made me curious about past April weather in general. I went searching on the blog to see what I could find about the specific state of my garden in prior Aprils. I looked at all my April posts for the ten years I've been blogging.

Here's what I found: From 2009 to 2013, plants were usually well on their way at this point — though we always had one or two snowfalls of varying degrees as well as the occasional ice storm. The April weather from 2014 through 2017, by contrast, showed little measurable April snowfall and lots of plant growth. 

What this means is fairly obvious to me. We are merely having an April much more similar to the ones we had been used to for a number of years. A couple of early springs, however, puts all memory of previous late or miserable spring weather out of mind. But this spring does seem colder and with a later start to plant growth in my garden than in the prior "late spring" years. Whether this is an aberration or the start of something new, only time will tell. 

Plants pictured are Paeonia mairei and Dicentra spectabilis 'Gold Heart.' (Sorry, heaven't been able to make myself learn the new name for Bleeding Heat).

Comments

[Peter/Outlaw]

Cue Ms Streisand "What's too painful to remember, we simply choose to forget." So it's the good springs we will remember whenever we remember the way we were. Hopefully spring will make herself known soon in your neck of the woods.

[Erin @ The Impatient Gardener]

So you're saying we all got spoiled and soft during those "nice" years? I suppose it's true, but it's amazing how quickly we adopt something as the new normal. I had a landscaper out yesterday to quote on a project and I asked about his timeline and he said he's already four weeks behind on spring jobs.

I can't manage the new bleeding heart name either.

[Lisa at Greenbow]

I have looked back on 7 years of April weather. This is definitely the coldest so far. My garden is usually way ahead in growth and the weather warmer. We are having the same temps as you are today. It is supposed to be warmer for a couple of days, more normal, then back to cool temps. This too shall pass...I hope.

[Linda Brazill]

It probably would help if we did not read all those west coast and UK blogs where it is always seems to be nice weather.

[Amelia Grant]

Well,here I am from South Florida.I admire your resolve.

[Nell]

And today tells the difference between our snow date. It didn't go above 36 yesterday, but the snow melted steadily all day long, having fallen on 40-degree ground. Today in 55-degree sun, all the midseason daffodils are opening, grateful for a long cool drink, and everything looks ready to expand the minute it gets truly warm. It really is the latest ever start for "real spring" in the last 25 years -- but I'm betting that will be undetectable by early May. First real weeding of the season: beefy dandelions. Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh!

[Linda Brazill]

Right about now, weeding sounds wonderful!

[Nell]

It was heaven to do something more productive than gaze out from inside. Last chance for those inside jobs! Already too late for me, but you have a week or so...