When a friend posted last week that snowdrops had made an appearance in her garden across town, I thought I better start watching the location where mine appear first: right outside the library window on the south side of the house. And sure enough Friday morning, there they were. Just one clump was visible (in the lower left) pushing through the ice-crusted snow and the detritus from the Chamaecyparis that the rabbits munched on all winter under that thick white blanket. I took this shot through the window from indoors.
I ventured outside a bit later in the day to look at the snowdrops' progress from the other direction. Despite the chilly temperature — 35° at noon — they are valiantly trying to open their flowers. Alas, they are not quite up enough to cut for a vase. With unseasonably warm weather forecast for this week, it is possible I will be able to have a vase next Monday.
If you look closely you can see all the branches bitten off with the tell-tale rabbit sign— an angled cut. And there's that pile of rabbit pellets in case anyone was unsure of the cause of the damage.
Having watched Carol Klein tour Bressingham Gardens on the BBC recently, I noted how many of their conifers are pruned up to reveal bark and allow underplanting of bulbs and perennials. I guess my pruning has been done for me. I just need to do a little neatening up and spread out my snowdrops a la Bressingham and this bed is good to go! To see what other gardeners have put in a vase today, visit Cathy at Rambling in the Garden who hosts this marvelous Monday meme!
Those snowdrops are troopers! I heard about some flooding in Wisconsin associated in part with melting snow. I hope you get a gentle melt.
Posted by: Kris P | Monday, March 18, 2019 at 01:17 PM
That looks like a lot of worrisome rabbit activity. Yes, I'm hoping the melt slows down in so many places. What a year and it's only mid-March. Lucky you to have snowdrops.
Posted by: Barbara H. | Monday, March 18, 2019 at 02:16 PM
Nice of the rabbits to help with the pruning?
Posted by: Loree / danger garden | Monday, March 18, 2019 at 11:07 PM
Wow, they pruned and fertilized. How thoughtful of your bunnies to have begun your spring gardening tasks for you.
Posted by: Peter/Outlaw | Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at 09:13 AM