Garden Flowering Log - March 2011

A lot of snow cover and lingering cold temperatures pushed back a lot of spring events. And as always some things change from year to year. Here's the rundown. March 4 - Snowdrops March 11 - witchhazel (Arnold's promise)(Diane was a no show; bunnies were the reason), snow crocus March 16 - late crocus, winter aconite (new!) March 18 - American filbert March 19 - Scilla (great blue lawn this year) March 21 - hybrid hellebores March 22 - dwarf daffodils March 23 - Japanese pachysandra, early standard daffodils March 30 - Pushkinia schilloides (new & probably later than when established), lungwort March 31 - Spicebush, Forsythia, Abeliophyllum Addition of a some new spring bulbs added two new March flowering events. Cool weather looks like it will push early April events even further back. Does this mean global warming is a crock? No, this is weather related, not climate related. Climate is weather averaged over a lot of years. The Phactors' gardens are not among the earliest around because all the trees make for shady conditions, but then again our star magnolia, while later than most, gets its flowers frozen less seldom. And lots of good things have happened so far in April (mostly yesterday, asparagus is coming up!) but the roundup of events will have to wait until the end of the month. So busy yesterday getting early kitchen garden planted, removing bunny barriers, and getting a new tree (more on that later too). And going to a nursery in spring is not smart; it's like grocery shopping when you're hungry. Oh but that new Itoh peony will look just great. Have to hide the price tag from Mrs. Phactor.