...BUT ON THE OTHER HAND...

A GAP IN THE ARBORVITAE  HEDGE...

...AND LOTS OF WINTER BURN ON THE DWARF ALBERTA SPRUCE

THERE'S A RHODODENDRON GARDEN UNDER THERE SOMEWHERE...

...AN AZALEA POKING THROUGH THE SNOW

Thursday,  29 degrees F, wind WNW, light with stronger gusts.  The sky is overcast, the humidity is down to 72% and the barometer is up, now at 30.01".  At least it isn't snowing on this, the first day of spring, or ziigwan, as our neighbors would say in the Ojibwe language. 

   By all accounts this has been a rough winter.  Just how rough won't be apparent until after the snow melts and we can really examine the plants.  Not that it hasn't been plenty rough on heating bills, water lines and roads.  But plant-wise it's a little early to tell, although some things have obviously taken a hit, such as the arborvitae (Thuja occidentals) hedge in the back yard, which has many plants bent over by the snow load.  I hope they're not actually broken, and I have learned over the years not to try to brush the snow and ice off of heavily laden trees and shrubs, it invariably does more harm than good.

   And the dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca 'Conica') in the herb garden, which are no longer 'dwarf', have experienced even worse winter burn than usual.  The needles often burn from wind and snow-reflected sun, but they recover with a flush of new growth.

   Some plants will actually benefit greatly from the deep snow cover.  The Rhododendrons and azaleas (both are in the genus Rhododendron, but the Rhododendrons have broadleaf evergreen foliage and azaleas are deciduous) are happy as can be under the snow.  Only one azalea is poking through, and the buds on it look quite viable.

   The perennial garden will fare well also, with plenty of insulating snow cover, little or no frost, and lots of moisture from the melting snow.

   So, on the one hand..., but on the other hand...