On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 09:30:16 -0600, dave weil opined:

I think I read that here in Nashville (Zone 6b), last frost date is
usually considered either 7 or 12 April. For the last couple of years,
I don't remember a frost in April at all. But you never know about
these things. Growing up in Memphis, we got the largest snowfall in
recorded history on April 18th (I think). It was 18 inches back around
'68. I'm sure Nashville got plastered as well. It was a funny thing.
Just this week, we got 7 inches of snow just a hour SOUTH of here.
Nashville got nary a flake.

What hurts us is the late March hard frost that we always seem to get.
It occurs right at the peak of marigold bloomings. Usually screws
things up good, especially since mid-March is usually quite warm.
That's why I usually wait until mid-April to do my serious spring
pruning.

Not all serious pruning should be done in the spring. You may know this, but
some may not. Pruning shrubs and trees which bloom in spring should be pruned
after blooming or you remove the flower buds. Roses can be pruned in February
in the south, or mid-south. I'm not sure about higher north. I never grew
roses up north.

Currently, in my garden things are blooming. Lantana is still blooming in some
spots, yarrow, bluebonnets, catnip, Rosemary...etc. All of the petunias are in
full spread bloom, so are the larkspur.