Each Little World: Back to winter

Back to winter

Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! We did not get the big storm that was being forecast for the Midwest on Wednesday. But what we got was nasty enough that it has me concerned about my garden. Here's a closeup of the fat buds on my foot-high species Paeonia mairei on Tuesday afternoon.

The same Peony on Wednesday afternoon with an old sheet draped over a plant hoop. The snow was coming down fast, the temperature was down to 33°F. (-16.11°C.) and high winds and freezing rain are next on the agenda.

Paeonia japonica on Wednesday afternoon. The buds are less obvious in this photo but the plant is covered with them.

With these Peonies up a foot or more, I was worried about damage from the weight of the wet snow as much as everything else. But most of the plants I wanted to protect were too big already to fit under these big buckets.

There are nice big clumps of Martagon lilies (below), Hellebores and Fritillarias all budded. But they are going to have to make it on their own. Too many plants to protect even if I had a good way to do it. After waiting a year to see all these treasures, I am going to be devastated if this weather kills all these flower buds.

At the same time both Mark and I are well aware that an early or late snow makes the garden shine.

The water is a sheet of rippling black glass and the stepping stones and gravel are warm enough that the snow melts when it hits them. Thus the garden has many more textural contrasts than when it is totally snow-covered.

We fired up the Weber grill (foreground above), set up the furniture and basked in the sunshine and warmth Tuesday afternoon, refusing to believe the weather reports.

I just went out to check on things and it is so cold and windy I am leaving my crazy plant covers in place for now. Much of the snow has melted and these Martagon lilies seem to be taking it all in stride this morning.