On again, off again

It rained most of last Sunday (4/16), eventually turning into snow. It was so wet and miserable I decided not to go out and cover any plants — despite the fact that the overnight low was going to be quite low. All week the forecast kept going down.

When we got up Monday mooring it was 27°F and snow covered the garden. We left the house at 6:30 a.m. for Mark's first cataract surgery. Got home around 10 a.m. which is when I took the snowy photos. All the gravel and stones melt the snow quickly.

But the plants were still well covered. Hellebore 'Jade Tiger'

Fritillaria 'Raddeana' on Monday morning.

F. 'Raddeana' at 10 am Tuesday morning. The snow is mostly gone but these flowers are only standing up by virtue of their cages. 

Just about complete recovery by 6 p.m.

That's pretty much the case with the plants I was most worried about — like Paeonia 'Nosegay' pictured in the a.m. and p.m. yesterday.

This very early blooming Peony is a second generation cross between P. mlokowitschii and P. tenufolia. I adore it. A 2014 purchase from the late, great Klehm's Song Sparrow Nursery. 

I'm hoping everyone stands up straight again and that their buds haven't been fatally frozen. I went back in my records to 2018 and discovered that I'd covered plants to protect them from April frosts a good 4 or 5 times in four out of the five years. With climate change it seems our weather is more unpredictable than ever. I am thus moving toward an attitude where the plants have to survive without me. 

As I write this it's 39°F (3.88°C) but feels like 33 °F. (0.55°C) Rain is forecast for 6 out of the next 10 days. I'm good with that; less happy about the overnight lows that are forecast for this coming weekend. 

Comments

[Beth@PlantPostings]

Similar happenings here. I've been amazed at the recovery of most of the plants, including relatively tender ones. The only things I covered were the rhubarb and the peonies. I'm hoping this next cold snap this weekend won't be quite as bad.

[Linda Brazill]

BETH-

This is the first time I haven’t covered my peonies. I may do it if this weekend looks too cold.

[danger garden]

I can't believe that on April 19th I still haven't moved any of containers out from their winter storage (too cold, too wet). Nor have I planted anything (too wet), well, I did plant a podophyllum, but geeze...by now I'm normally in full project mode.

[Kris P]

However much I may complain to people here about our periodic weather woes (usually the lack of rain), I have nothing on you. Mother Nature can be rude. I hope everything comes through this latest slap with flying colors.

[Barbara H.]

It's amazing how resilient plants can be - and also how amazing at what can do them in. I finally gave up on the jasmine that covered an arbor, cutting it all off. Then I discovered some new growth at the ground from a small branch that had rooted itself. I hope your plants all find ways to survive the ups and downs of this difficult spring.

[Chavli]

I can't believe you got snow, again, but I'm an optimist, so I'll predict your cherished Peony will bloom just fine.
I share your "the plants have to survive without me" attitude. It's painful when they don't, but I believe nature knows best. I hope soon you'll warm up some!

[hb]

Whew! Glad the snow left fast enough that your plants were able to manage it. Nice to see them recover--hope the rain does them good and no harm.

A fellow gardener remarked to me we here in SoCal often have a hot day or two in April, especially around the 21st, and that will be the case the next two days--the tender newly emerged spring foliage can manage two days of heat, but longer than that there will be damage.