I was going to make a post about how to create winter interest in the garden but it seemed like we really didn’t have much of one this year. This month we’ve really only had 4 days with temperatures cool enough to call winter-like and the one time we did have a 3″ snowfall it melted in just 2 days and then it was back to warmth. Now it seems like we’re moving into spring as the weather this weekend shows near record highs in the 60s to near 70 degrees for nearly a week strait! This has been by far the easiest winter I’ve been through anywhere I’ve lived, I’m not complaining but can’t help but feel guilty and continue to have the “it’s coming eventually” feeling.

 

It’s been so much like March and with the weather looking like it will continue I’ve decided to do the annual spring clean off of the old foliage which I did earlier this week and it’s a good thing I did because I have numerous spring bulbs starting to show including Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths and Crocus. Snowdrops which started blooming on the 6th just reached peak bloom today near matching last years date of February 18th.

It seems nothing keeping the garden from bursting forth and awakening and why would it? The ground is completely thawed already and with the last week being in the 50s all the spring flowers think it’s March! Every day that I’ve been venturing into the garden has relieved a new spring bulb that has decided to test this glorious February spring weather. This year is eerily similar to last year when we also had an early spring but where should we really be? Typically the first snowdrop doesn’t bloom here until the last week of February on average and the stage we are at now is more typical of the first full week in March. With the warm weather continuing though things will keep progressing and I would not be surprised if I have Crocus and Winter Aconite joining the bloom parade shortly!