Sunday, February 15, 2015

A Bitter Cold Bloom Day

Minus two. That is what I woke up to this morning. After horrid winds and a meager half inch of snow, I was left with -2. At that temperature even the snowdrops curl up and flop over.





















This behavior is a survival strategy. It isn't frozen destruction. As soon as it warms up enough they will perk back up. That won't be happening any time soon though. The week ahead is entirely arctic.





















I did have all the sticks and fallen logs in the ridge top garden picked up. Not any more. It was scary windy there for a while.



























When it gets that cold, the Witch Hazels also close up shop and try to wait things out. 'Jelena' did 5 no problem. Will 'Diane' be able to handle -2 and possibly lower and come back blooming? That's only a seven degree difference.





















The coldest cold is scheduled for Thursday and Friday. 'Arnold's Promise' was just getting started and was able to close a bit tighter than 'Diane'.



























Five to ten inches of snow is scheduled for the next arctic event. That begins in the morning. The first planting in the road side vegetable garden is still a distant dream. I have more manure to spread and it needs a fresh layer of mulch before it is officially ready. All I need is some decent working days.





















The one good thing I can say about my brisk strolls through the wild cultivated gardens is that I am only seeing a few bulbs coming up. Most of them look like they are species tulips planted last fall. The existing 10,000 daffodils and equal number of minor bulbs are no where to be seen. That should mean a good showing for the spring bulbapaloozathon because they were not fooled into coming up early.





















Inside a warm cozy cabin, it's a full open Bloom Day.






















My five dollar discard orchid has been blooming for months now and the kitties have left it alone. That is a Bloom Day miracle. If your Bloom Day was hampered by the cold you can always visit Bloom Day Central and travel gardens around the world. There are warmer places with flowers to be seen.


7 comments:

Les said...

-2 is too cold!

Christopher C. NC said...

It wasn't so bad because the wind had stopped.

beverly said...

I am once again so impressed with your stone wall. That photo shows it off so well and it creates a bulwark against the visual perception that the cabin might fall down the hill, and makes everything look so - for lack of a better word - 'organized'. And the red columns of course. Superb designer's eye!

Christopher C. NC said...

Thank you Bev. By the number of pictures I take of the cozy cabin it should be obvious I really like how my little house and the stone walls turned out. Could be a lot the gawkers just are not used to seeing a house on columns like that and wonder what is keeping it in place.

Jean Campbell said...

Yep, we can always find a gorgeous bloom somewhere. Stay warm.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Happy GBBD. I imagine you are buried in snow by now. We even have 8" or so. IT is cold here too.

Lola said...

Too cold for me just now. I do have a few daffy"s blooming. My shrub magnolia is about to bloom also.