Such a Late Spring

Crocus

When I left for Nashville on May 3rd it didn't feel, or look, like May. Everything was about two weeks later than normal. My crocuses and snowdrops came up on schedule. I think they are less influenced by temperatures and more by changes in light. But my magnolia bushes? No blooms yet, and they are my earliest flowering plant. No daffodils. No strawberry blossoms.

Magnolia Bush 

The bluebells have little buds, and the starflowers are up. But no asters, of any sort. No trout lilies. The allium is poking up, but no salvia. A little bit of astilbe, little pokings of hosta.

Virginia Bluebells Just Beginning to Bloom

Star Flower

Allium

No asparagus, and every year, even in normal years, I think it's dead because it germinates so much later than in Missouri. It never does that great, however, even once it finally sprouts. It must not like my insanely acidic soil. I should throw some lime on that bed when I get home. I've planted radish, lettuce, spinach and kale, but nothing had germinated when I left.

It's been kind of dry, which seems very odd since we had such a massive snow melt. The soil is so damp from the snow that it's not that critical, but since I have seeds that need to sprout and some new plantings I would like them to get a little extra moisture, and the sprinkler system doesn't get turned on until Monday.

Ferns Look Like Little People!

And.....it suddenly turned warm as soon as I left town! Sixties, and even seventies this time of year for a day or two is fine, but not spikes into the 80's. That's extreme for New Hampshire.

Oh well! That's gardening for you...Any gardener has only minimal control over what happens in the garden. We try our best and then give the nod to Mother Earth and hope she doesn't decide to play some trick on us. I tell myself not to worry, but I'm only slightly successful at letting go. I'm fretting. I wish I were home!

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This post was written several weeks ago when I was visiting my good friend Gail in Nashville, TN. Now almost everything has caught up and things are blooming on schedule. We're even getting some much needed rain today. Thanks, Mother Nature!

The Lady Slippers Bloomed Right on Time!