So for a few days last week it warmed up, and the snow melted and there was even the sound of rain on the roof, and I’m always surprised by how odd that sounds after months without, but it’s not real.  Snow came again, temperatures dropped, and thankfully we don’t have the 2+ feet of snow which my parents had to dig out of… well sort of… my 91 year old father was scolded for trying, but somehow his youthful bride went on to shovel paths to the birdfeeder and compost pile and fortunately called it quits when it came to the mailbox.  She reluctantly called in a plow who did the rest of the digging out for them in exchange for a well-earned wad of cash.  I held back a laugh when she said she wasn’t sure if my brother would be ok with the plow since he said he would come over and tackle it with the snowblower, but I know how my brother really feels about that job so was glad when things worked out as they did.

Welcome back to ‘Potter’s Prelude’, typically a late November bloomer, but due to a late start and then a couple months in the freezer, he’s only just now thawing out and coming back to life.  Snow is a great insulator.  Temperatures down to 0F and these delicate blooms are still perfect.

It was great to see plants again and poke around a bit and even clean up a few snowdrop patches, but it does not feel like spring yet.  That’s a surprise from someone who will declare the season as soon as possible, but things are still sleepy even with a string of above freezing temperatures and a steady melt.  The witch hazels were convinced a little after the fourth day without frost, but even then it was just a few tentative blooms which opened.  The rest are still cautious.  Caution is a good thing for witch hazels in this garden because it’s a dangerous land, full of witch hazel-eating bunnies who just wait for a fence to shift in the snow enough so they can get in and “severely prune” all the exciting new witch hazel grafts which I purchased last winter.  They weren’t cheap by the way.  To be on the safe side though, I ordered a few more.  It’s an investment I told myself.

I would never be brave enough to give these young grafts such a hard-prune, but the bunnies had no problem.  Perhaps this is just what they needed to branch out perfectly with strong new growth this summer… said with a mix of optimism and sarcasm…

Speaking of investments, I spent Saturday digging any snowdrops which looked remotely close to blooming, and potted them up for this Saturday’s Galanthus Gala in Downingtown Pa.  I thought last year was a stressful, locked in cold for the Gala year, but this year tops it!  There are a few trays filled.  They’re up by the garage where it’s a little warmer, drug in when it’s cold and back out when it’s warmer and I hope they look well enough for the sale.  I’m still hoping to add a few winter aconite if anything opens, but the clock is ticking down faster than the thermometer clicks up and I don’t think it’s is enough to inspire them to bloom.

Flats of snowdrops ready to head out to their new homes.  Many average things, many I love, and a few treasures which I’m forcing myself to offer for sale in order to support my habit.

Saturday looks to be beautiful.  Warm temperatures, bright sun and I shall be amongst fellow plant lovers and table after table of early spring goodies for sale.  I’m excited.  There will be engaging speakers, a fun and oftentimes dramatic auction, and from what I hear there might be a ticket or two which have become available to the in-person Saturday afternoon talks, but that opportunity may have already passed, so check this >link< before you get your hopes up.  Even without a ticket to the talks, virtual tickets are a thing, and with that you can watch at your leisure and still take in all the plant sales and the auction, and if you skip tickets altogether the sales area and auction are still worth the trip, all for just the price of showing up.

I hope to see you there, and promise to take plentiful pictures and give a full report for those who can’t make it.  -Sorry, just kidding.  I get caught up in the day and never remember to snap a photo until it’s cleanup time, so I’ll apologize ahead of time.  Hope you are having a wonderful week and hang in there.  Spring will come, and for us it might be as early as next week which would be nice.