Many gardeners in the north are looking at snow in the forecast this weekend. My most sincere condolences. That is just not OK. I wonder if this lousy spring is a harbinger of an equally cruddy summer to come or if Mother Nature will make up for lost temperatures and cook us this summer. I’m not sure I’d be happy with either. But that’s gardeners for you, right? We all want perfect gardening weather all the time: hot but not too hot, lovely soaking rains once a week (at night, please) and beautiful sunshiny days. We are a hard lot to please, but this time Mother Nature is really testing our patience.
A bit of snow and a good bit of rain—2.5 inches, they claim—is forecast for my garden, but will go on blissfully OK with it all. Because I’ll be in California checking out all the new plants and gardening gear that will be coming to you next year and beyond. Several bloggers: Marianne from The Small Town Gardener, Karen from Le Jardinet, Tracy from Plants Map and me will be joining Diane and Gail from the National Garden Bureau on a gardener’s dream road trip.
Marianne did a great job explaining what we’ll be up to here. And the NGB talked about it here. I will do my best to get a post up with some highlights next week, but we’ve got a pretty ambitious schedule. Do check Instagram and Facebook for updates though. I’m also taking a side trip to the Huntington Library and Botanic Garden Saturday so I’m sure there will be inspiration to come from that.
Meanwhile the seedlings continue to do well. The Thunbergia—I’m growing white, a pinkish mix and an orange/red mix—is doing exceptionally well, almost to a fault. Soon they will start getting tall, although they’ve all appreciated being pinched back, and it will be difficult to fit them under lights. Normally this is when I’d move them to the temporary greenhouse, but that’s seem like it’s a ways off unless we get a big weather shift.
But how about some happy bits? Here’s some great finds from the week that was:
Here are some really beautiful fence ideas. Fence styles have come so far, haven’t they?
Here’s a great book giveaway to celebrate National Gardening Day.
If you needed a sure sign that spring is here (since the usual signs aren’t doing a great job) here you go: Fred and Ethel are back!
I didn’t get a chance to send this until I arrived in California so I had time to update this quickly. I was anxious to throw on my flip flops and get out and enjoy the beautiful weather and then this happened.
Let’s hope that’s the only packing miscalculation I made.
What are you up to this weekend?
2 Responses
The snow is beautiful but I too am worried that we are going to have a horrible summer! For me, that means extra hot and humid! Oh well nothing to do but find the beauty is our crazy Sprinter.
It’s nice to have your blog to build my dreams!
You will adore the Huntington. The cacti are spectacular. Fred and Ethel are gone again as everything is frozen and snow covered. We did not clear the driveway thinking it would melt in a couple of days. Now it appears it may snow again tomorrow. This is getting really horrid.