by Gene Griffith

     ...And it's only March!  I love spring nearly as much as I love autumn, and March usually gives us a good taste of forthcoming spring. It can also give us topsy-turvy weather; stretches of warm days followed by frost or freeze.  This is a treacherous time for Hydrangea macrophylla. It's the reason for the recent popularity of re-blooming hydrangeas, and the reason for half of my grey hairs (my kids account for the other half).  Should they get nipped in the bud by a late freeze, hydrangeas will often still bloom the same year, albeit somewhat later than normal.

     Note that most native plants (whatever that means -- see an earlier blog) are not generally fooled by the vagaries of winter. I assume this is because they have dealt with such weather for eons in their locale. I don't suggest you grow only "natives", because that will leave a large palette of wonderful plants out of your garden. Rather, I hope that you will watch and learn from the weather's variations year by year, and take note of the changes in your garden's health and happiness. Though nurseries (ours included) will often recommend plants based on USDA hardiness zones, don't be afraid to step outside these guidelines- you know your garden better than any of us do.  With a little luck, and some elbow grease, you might make a brilliant discovery or two by coloring outside the lines.  

      That said, if you don't like surprises, you might try plastic.  It comes in a wide range of colors and sizes to fit any garden.

You can have evergreen, ever-blooming, low-maintenance, sun or shade tolerant visuals year-round. The scratch-n-sniff varieties can even provide fragrance, but I confess I prefer the challenges Mother Nature provides. This year's unrelenting and prolonged winter may in fact hide a blessing- the consistent cold could keep new growth in hiding until warmer temperatures arrive for good.  The jury is still out on 2010, but we think it will be glorious, cruel months or no.