March. Ugh.

The weather is veering from lamb to lion and back again. Saturday's high was 53°F. ( 11.66°C.), but it brought thunderstorms with heavy rain and wind. Despite the ground being frozen, no water made it into the basement. This morning's temp is 28°F., but feels like 22° according to Weatherbug. 

At this stage of the winter, I am less interested in more snow. We did not get it early in the season when we needed it to protect the garden against the cold. Without checking the record books, this is one of the driest winters I can recall in many years of living in Wisconsin. A walk around the garden Sunday afternoon showed a muddy mess with endless twigs, small branches and locust pods littering the ground. 

i snapped a few wide shots to help me remember what areas held onto the snow longest. Most of the front garden was still snow covered as that's the  north side of the house.

Everything that's not green is under standing water in this shot, including ferns planted last year. How did I not know this spot was so problematic?

Rabbits devoured a dwarf Hemlock planted last fall, two dwarf Oak Leaf Hydrangesas (3 years old) and a 5 year old 'Orange Rocket' Barberry. That's only what I've noticed so far. 

I never went out to look closely at what the city water crew did in December when they had to access the line to do a repair. I was horrified at what a mess they left behind in my Geranium macrorrhizum bed by the street. The blue cap is the water line. They moved the rock marker and filled in the hole with new dirt bit it doesn't look good. Maybe I won't feel as frustrated when the surrounding plants begin to grow in a month. 

On the up side, snowdrops are starting appear. 

Arum itlaicum 'Ghost' just needs the rest of the snow to disappear to start her spring growth spurt. 

I am always curious to see what ferns still look good after snow, ice and freezing temps. This is Dryoteris erythrosora 'Brilliance' aka Autumn Fern. Once this old growth gets removed it takes a long time for this plant to send up its new fronds. You have to mark where this is growing or you will accidentally plant something on top of it. 

Just past the above ferns, the sedges are looking lovely: Carexes pennsylvania and radiata. 

Across the path Polystichum makinoi  actually has its fronds standing upright!

Every year as the ratty snow along the curb starts to melt, I look there to see the first signs of spring. Most years, those signs are empty beer bottles or cigarette packs. This year's souvenir is a COVID mask. Perhaps a driver tossed it from his car window pleased to see the numbers are going down. Somehow I don't think it's the last one I'll find out there. 

Look what happened overnight. See what I mean about lions and lambs. I guess I won't be picking any of those snowdrops as soon as I'd thought. 

Comments

[Elizabeth]

Good morning, Linda! I love seeing the first three pictures of your winter garden -- the structure is so readily apparent. You and Mark have built such a beautiful garden together. But that last picture is sublime. Like nature hit the snooze button. I like winter; I'm not not quite ready for it to be over yet. Spring will be here soon enough.

[Barbara H.]

Yes, we are having up and down weather too. Warm nights, warmer days and a few nights coming in a week of nights in the 20s, just in time to zap all those new leaves putting out. I know the water line area looks bad but oh, it could be much worse.

[Linda Brazill]

ELIZABETH — You're right, it does look gorgeous this morning. And the snow means I can relax again instead of thinking that it's almost time to get out there and clean up. ​

[Linda Brazill]

BARBARA — I need to keep reminding myself that it definitely could be a lot worse where the workmen were digging. And nothing fills in faster than those Geraniums. Next year you won't know that anything ever happened there.

[Kris P]

Ugh indeed! The weather yo-yo seems to be something many of us across the country have in common this winter, even if it manifests in different forms. Hopefully, you'll get a slow, gentle melt to reveal the snowdrops as the month proceeds.

[[email protected]]

The roller coaster of March is challenging, but I find it much easier than the extended cold, cold, cold of February. Dang rabbits. Thankfully, the snow is melting fast.

[Linda Brazill]

KRIS — I guess the upside is that I want to plant some poppy seeds and it suggests scattering them on fresh snow!​

[Linda Brazill]

BETH — Yes, I don't want that cold weather back again.

[Kathy from Cold Climate Gardening]

Oh, I'm sorry about the rabbit damage. We are having the same yo-yo weather here. Ha! You take pictures of where the snow melts last; I take pictures of where the snow melts first. Bulbs planted there will bloom soonest.

[danger garden]

Oh that mess left by the water workers! Second only to the rabbit damage, and more snow. I am sorry. I hope your spring (when it arrives) is so lovely that this is all forgotten.

[Linda Brazill]

KATHY — do tend to know where the snow melts first, but I am curious to see what;s happening now that a few trees have been removed. Trying to figure out where to put my new snowdrops and add more spring bulbs.

[Linda Brazill]

DANGER — Big change in the temps coming next week so I may see some early flowers.