Hot attack
February 26, 2008
Hymenoxys (Tetraneuris scaposa )
We had a record high of 92 F (33.3 C) yesterday in central Austin. That’s pretty warm, which might suit a lot of Austinites just fine. But I’m happier with today’s more seasonable expected high of 66 degrees. A cool, stiff breeze is blowing out of the north. Ahh. Spring is delightful. Let’s not hurry summer along.
Grape hyacinths (Muscari )
Irises in bud. I love seeing their sword-like, bright-green foliage when much else is still dormant.
All material © 2006-2008 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Even at 66 F. you got me beat by over 30 degrees and I don’t even want to think about the next 2 nights when temps are supposed to dip below zero again. My Iris have a long way to go before I even see them.
Wish we could store up the differences. I’d gladly swap you some cold for your heat so we could moderate the extremes.
Many’s the time I’ve wished the same. Temperature exchange—now when will that be invented? —Pam
“That’s pretty warm” might be the understatement of the day. That is quite hot, in my
neck of the woods. And since you still have plants that are dormant, I wonder if that
“shocks” those plants out of dormancy or just what will happen to them? I suppose,
though, that the heat is better than frost or ice for your garden at this point.
Carol, May Dreams
Carol, the plants in my garden are tough enough for the extremes in temperature that are common this time of year. If they aren’t, I don’t replant them. My worst-case scenario—only because I love the flowers so much—is a hard freeze when the Texas mountain laurels are in bud. That’s happened (mine are budding now), and I’m always so sad to lose those fragrant, beautiful flowers. But the plants just bounce right back. —Pam
Weather is really crazy this year. Those are really high temperatures for this time of year. We had temperatures as high as that during Autumn (I had bearded irises bloomin in October). For the moment we are having a pleasant 20ºC here in southern Portugal.
A high of 92 F in February is crazy, but temps like that won’t stick until May. Today it was much cooler, and some areas near Austin will have a light freeze tonight (but not in town). Up and down—it keeps things interesting, doesn’t it? —Pam
The iris are open and the daffodils are fried – not good for February!! I like the sixties, too.
Pam, the thing that’s worrying me right now is the prediction for scattered frost tonight. Phooey! I actually have some buds on one of the three Texas Mountain laurels.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I’m sorry your daffs got fried. At last some daffodil foliage is coming up in my garden, but I’m not sure whether they’ll actually try to bloom. I sure hope you steer clear of a freeze tonight. We want to protect those mountain laurel buds. —Pam
I can’t even imagine what that was like for weather this time of year .. we have broken records with our snowfall and still more to come. I would say I was jealous of your weather but when this breaks we will probably jump right into our deadly heat and humidity .. yes .. it does happen in Canada too !
Your temps actually made it in our weather news because it was so hot there !
Joy
I’m amazed by the amount of snowfall you’re getting up there, Joy. I guess that’s seasonable though, right? It’s funny to think of our weather making the news in Canada. —Pam
The weather is the topic of conversation on so many of the blogs, very hot, cold, windy, snow, ice, and all of the above in one week. What’s a poor gardener to do? You have the solution, plant only the toughest of the tough for your area! I at first thought when only the top of the photo showed that you had a daffodil, but can they survive that heat? One year here we had tulips blooming when the temps went crazily to the 90’s. They just went limp. We seem to be on a colder than usual theme this year so far, but who knows what lies ahead!
Frances at Faire Garden
Some types of daffodils are said to do well here, and I have grown some in the past (they start blooming in February), but those have mostly faded away. I’m not inclined to try any more for now. And forget about traditional tulips here. —Pam
yesterday was t-shirt and shorts weather here in north texas. today the high is in the forties and that stiff north wind has everyone bundled up in coats.
It was jacket weather here today too. I loved it. —Pam
It was hot yesterday in San Antonio too of course. The last time I had checked what the temperature was it was 90 around 2pm. I didn’t check after that so have no idea if it got any hotter. Wow your Grape Hyacinths are already blooming strong. Mine are just starting to peak out their blooms and shoot up.
It’s interesting to see the differences in climate between here and San Antonio. You aren’t much farther south, yet I think of it as a more tropical climate. And yet your hyacinths aren’t up yet. —Pam
That reminds me of a Chicago Spring. We can go from temps in the 40s to the 80s in a day. Sometimes it feels like we go straight from Winter to Summer. I want my Spring! Love the Muscari shot.
I’m not ready to relinquish spring either. Summer will be here soon enough. —Pam
I knew it was hot yesterday in the Valley – but didn’t realize central Texas was also “enjoying” an early summer! Hope you didn’t get that frost last night! I love all the comment about your mountain laurels. Ours are blooming now and I’m heading off now to check out one that has white blooms. I’ll be saving those seeds for sure!
Nope, no frost here, and I don’t expect to get nipped tonight either. I’ve seen a white-flowered Texas mountain laurel. It was so striking, so different. I still prefer the purple ones, but I’d be saving those white seeds too. —Pam
It was warm yesterday, wasn’t it? I enjoyed it, heat-loving native Texan that I am. 😉
It was lovely weather for sitting on a shady porch, watching the bees buzz around, wasn’t it? —Pam
Hi Pam,
Thanks for visiting my blog today and leaving your comment on my post about the “differences between what men and women like to see in the garden.” Are these beautiful photos from your garden? I see lots of florals……!!!! Just kidding. I’m very much like you, love the structural plants but definately fill in with the beautiful detailed plants.
Wow…you are just about in Summer mode. How are your landscaping projects coming along this season.Did you experience much weather-related delay like rain? I have in Los Angeles, about a month of unreliable weather has set me back a few weeks on projects. Thank God for patient clients!
Shirley Bovshow
Ha, yes, the flowers in my awakening garden are irresistible subjects right now. But I did just buy a beautiful, spiky yucca today…
We’re not really headed into summer just yet. That high temperature was an anomaly. We’ll have more warm temps, but they’ll be moderated by dips back into the 50s and 60s. In a typical year, it should remain pleasant until late May, when it will get hot in earnest. Unlike you in L.A., we haven’t had much rain since last summer. Perhaps you’ll send some of your surplus our way. —Pam
It should be illegal to mention a high of 66, and even worse to mention 92! And to top it off, you show pretty pictures of flowers that are just a pipe dream for us more northern folk right now. And I sure do like your iris foliage. Mine dies down in winter. Would love to see some green in my garden right about now!
Sorry, GGG! 😉 Yes, the evergreen iris foliage is always nice to have, and it sure is pretty when it perks up in early spring. —Pam
I love seeing your spring bloomers Pam. It is interesting reading how everyones weather is so
mercurial right now. It is just ole man winter fighting it out with the divine mz spring.
The divine Ms. Spring is going to win here in short order. But winter put up a fight today and cooled things off again. —Pam
I love how your irises look right now. I’ve just transplanted a few in my garden– sadly, they spent most of the last 10 months languishing in pots with too little dirt before I could make space for them, so I’m crossing my fingers. I’m also crossing my fingers that there won’t be frost tonight, since several of my roses finally have buds.
Do your grape hyacinths come back every year? I used to grow those in Wisconsin, and they naturalized quite nicely there. 🙂
The hyacinths have had a better return rate than daffodils for me. I have a couple of good-sized clumps. But not enough to really make an impression unless you’re on hands and knees. —Pam
The yellow in the top picture is stunning. I’m ready for spring but certainly not summer temps, wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a really LONG spring? I hate when it jumps from winter to summer.
I agree, sudden jumps are kind of unpleasant. But we should enjoy a nice spring here, with ups and downs, until late May, maybe even June if we’re lucky. —Pam