Hot and cold
After our record high of 92 F on Monday, we dropped down to 31 F early this morning. That was the recorded low at nearby Camp Mabry anyway ; whether it got that chilly in my garden, I’m not sure. I didn’t see any frost when I left the house after sunrise, and it was up to 38 degrees at that point.
In sympathy with our weather extremes, I’m posting my own version of hot and cold—in color, however, rather than temperature. Pictured above is my new Yucca flaccida ‘Bright Edge,’ which I couldn’t resist yesterday on a visit to Hill Country Water Gardens for some anacharis (underwater cleaner plants) for my pond. Sitting in this glazed pot (it’s a golden yellow, not orange, as it appears in this photo), the yucca makes a hot focal point.
Cooling things off, the Mexican plum blossoms look like fat snowflakes from a distance. But they’re most beautiful up close, shining white against the blue sky.
Spring weather is notoriously up and down around here. How’s the weather in your garden today? Do you have any early-spring color, and if so is it hot or cold?
All material © 2006-2008 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Pam,
Good morning.
The Mexican plum is lovely, especially against that blue sky. One of my favorite sights is any plant framed by a blue sky.
Not that kind of bloom here, cross your fingers that our spring isn’t wiped out by a late frost!
Gail
My fingers are crossed, Gail. The downside to an early spring is the danger of late frost, isn’t it? —Pam
Hi there! Wow, 92! That’s amazing. We’re pretty steady in the 50s here during the daytime. It’s been sunnier than usual (yay), but I’m sure the Spring rains will come soon. At least you get sunbreaks during those, unlike the winter rains which are grey and neverending. (And then there’s the fall rains, and….). At least it’s green and lovely! No big blooms to report, just some purple crocus that had been hidden under overgrown junipers for many years. They’re happy! WOW, 92. Will it be that warm all season?
~Angela 🙂
“WOW, 92. Will it be that warm all season?”
No, in summer it will be upper 90s with occasional forays into the low 100s. 🙁 But spring is generally quite nice here, with 70s and 80s through March and April, 80s and 90s in May. Thanks for the spring report in your neighborhood, Angela. —Pam
We have had the same ups and downs, but nothing above 70 yet, right now it is in the 20’s and windy with flurries. Blooming are daffodils, crocus, quince, rosemary, ericas, violas and pansies and hellebores. It is looking nicer on the hill as new growth is emerging on the dianthus, ajuga, vinca, creeping jenny, thyme and other ground covers. In a couple of weeks there should be more than the little species daffs open, hopefully.
Frances at Faire Garden
Ooh, 20 degrees sounds cold to me. Will freezing temps harm your daffodils and quince? Aside from your cold snap, it sounds like spring over there. —Pam
I like you hot and cold combination very much.
We have some weird swings in weather but still knee deep in winter .. it is hard to hold on to garden ideas when you look out side and see that stuff ! LOL
Good post !
Joy
Yes, but winter must give you northern gardeners some intensive planning time. Thanks for commenting, Joy. Come back whenever you need a warm fix. —Pam
There haven’t been enough temperature swings around here lately. The temperatures have been pretty steady in the 20s, although we had 2 days above freezing back to back, followed by, yes, more snow.
Well, in that case I hope you swing upward a bit, MMD. That sounds darn cold to me. —Pam
We’ve had temperature swings alright, but nothing like yours. There’s no color — hot or cold — in the gardens here today, except perhaps, the cool green of the conifers. It’s in the 40’sF here and about to get colder. ::sigh::
I bet your cool green conifers are lovely, especially with a layer of snow. Thanks for commenting, Nancy. —Pam
Our weather has extremes too but nothing like yours. 92 – that is hot for February! We are back to cold weather this week after having a mild weekend. We’ve had snow flurries today and it is in the 30s. Very cold!
Snow flurries in Alabama? That’s surprising. I imagine spring isn’t far off for you though, Phillip. —Pam
In my garden it is in the mids 20’s right now, “feels like 6”, and it is dreary. Overcast. Bleh. Temps will drop to the teens tonight. BUT at least there is no snow or ice right now, but also no early spring color to speak of. It sounds depressing doesn’t it?
I can’t believe that temperature swing in your garden.
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
Carol, I wish the Spring Fling was coming up even sooner just to get you somewhere a little warmer and greener. Hang in there. —Pam
We had mostly cloudy skies but it warmed enough to melt away most of the snow. It is 28 right now. I don’t know how cold it will be tonight. I was surprised when we had a bit of light at 7pm. I could feel the days are getting longer. finally.
I’m really noticing the longer days too. It’s light in the morning when I leave the house. —Pam
The open peach iris were mush this morning, Pam so I guess my garden went below the freezing mark. The buds for future iris flowers may be okay. Some Austin locations measured 95 rather than 92 according to radio reports – ridiculous isn’t it!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Rats! Sorry about the mushy irises, Annie. I hope the other buds survive. Yes, 95 is ridiculous indeed. That’s probably what it was at my house, in the warmest spot in Austin. 😉 —Pam
Pam,thank you for visiting our blog and taking the time to drop us a note. You’re right it is very disheartening. You know what though? The house isn’t even repaired yet and today I bought two new Eastern Redbuds to replace the damaged ones. :-)How’s that for a resilient gardener?
Gardening is all about hope for the future, isn’t it? I hope your new redbuds bring you many years of beauty and enjoyment. —Pam
92 to 31 degrees? Sounds like you’ve got manic depressive weather. Sadly, at this point, I’d kill for 31 degrees!
Man, if 31 sounds warm to you, you’re living in a whole different universe, Jim. This Southerner can’t imagine it. 🙂 —Pam
This is my favorite time of year! (Monday was 92 in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and we woke up this morning to 42 degrees) But when the sky is clear and crisp, it’s just heavenly out in the garden. It won’t be long before the heat is driving us back indoors . . . Love your pictures, Pam!
Yes, I love this time of year too, Mary Beth. We know summer is coming, and we’ve got to savor every beautiful spring day. —Pam
We’re the same (although we didn’t get into the 90s!) – we were wonderfully warm, and tonight it is supposed to get to about 28, with colder wind chills. Two cold nights – and then back to 70 by the weekend. The azaleas, which are just opening up, will be chilly tonight!
You’re up and down, just like us. I like the variety of spring, don’t you? —Pam
The Mexican plum is gorgeous against the blue sky.
It looks so fresh and bright, doesn’t it? —Pam
Beautiful photos!
Thanks, Marie. —Pam
Six inches of snow on the ground and 14 degrees F at 8:30am. Like Jim, I live in an alternate universe.
Ha! Kathy, my kids would sure love to live in your universe for at least a couple of weeks. They’ve been asking when we can go to Colorado to go skiing, but what they really want is a pile of snow to play in. —Pam
Spring is still a memory away. Still snowing. 12 degrees this morning. Sigh!!
Yes, that’s cold, but it sure looked pretty on your blog, Jane Marie. Thanks for visiting. —Pam
Wow, and we have definitely got an autumn day here today (on March 1) — it got down to 12 C (54 F) overnight and is forecast to reach 22 C (72 F). Gardening time!! Your summer temps sound very similar to ours. Love the Mexican prunus particularly!
If your summer temps in Australia are like ours, you have my sympathy, Chookie. 😉 Seriously, it sounds like you treasure your cooler autumn days just as we do here in Texas. Those lovely autumn days—time to get back out in the garden, right? —Pam
Hot or cold???? 4ºF (-15ºC) here this morning Pam, and the only color we have is white…still! But spring will be here soon!! 92º down to 31º – That’s quite a swing! I can’t imagine temps in the 90’s at the moment.
That Mexican Plum is exquisite against the blue sky. Will your new Yucca bloom this summer?
Wild temperature swings are commonplace here in springtime (or late winter, as some would say). I wish I could send a little warmth up to you, Kerri. As for the yucca, I don’t know whether it will bloom this summer. Another yucca that I planted last year didn’t, but I’m hoping it will this year. Maybe they need to settle in before they flower. I’m just glad I don’t have deer to contend with. They LOVE yucca blooms. —Pam