I garden in Montauk, NY, which is zone 7. We had a brutal winter with much
snow, which is unusual for Montauk. The spring has been unusually cool with
large amounts of rain almost every other day. In spite of what appears to
be the adverse weather conditions, my garden has never developed as much or
as early as it has this spring. Many of my perennials are twice as large as
last year. My shrubs, particularly the hydrangeas, are magnificant. Plants
that appeared to be struggling suddenly have exploded with new growth.
Plants have self-seeded and I now have things growing where none grew
before. While I long for mild winters and early springs, apparently my
plants feel otherwise. I would be interested in knowing if anyone else has
had the experience I have described.

Ken Schwarz

"Kenneth G. Schwarz" wrote in message
et...
I garden in Montauk, NY, which is zone 7. We had a brutal winter with
much
snow, which is unusual for Montauk. The spring has been unusually cool
with
large amounts of rain almost every other day. In spite of what appears to
be the adverse weather conditions, my garden has never developed as much
or
as early as it has this spring. Many of my perennials are twice as large
as
last year. My shrubs, particularly the hydrangeas, are magnificant.
Plants
that appeared to be struggling suddenly have exploded with new growth.
Plants have self-seeded and I now have things growing where none grew
before. While I long for mild winters and early springs, apparently my
plants feel otherwise. I would be interested in knowing if anyone else
has
had the experience I have described.

Ken Schwarz



I wish, I am the exact opposite. Zone 6B, Toronto, and my garden is behind
schedule. Of major concern to me are some of my trees.

My Garnet Laceleaf Japanese maple has a huge bare spot on the top, no leaves
to speak of, yet the lower area is fully leafed;
My Bloodgood Japanese maple has way too many bare branches;
My Harlequin maple has leaves about 1/5 the size they should be;
My Weeping Mulberry is just starting to flower;
My Weeping Japanese cherry didn't bloom very much, and has moved on to
putting out leaves, but again is behind schedule;
My Kwanzan Japanese cherry also didn't bloom very much;

Yet, my Norway maple is absolutely beautiful, as is my dwarf Korean lilac.

Finally, my Purple Leaf Sand Cherries, they are 2/3 bare, and what leaves
are out look like they are starting to shrivel.

Every time I go out in the backyard, I get depressed looking at this
conundrum. Owning plants and trees is just as bad as owning pets, get way
too attached to these things.

I've had a similar experience to yours, Ken. Stuff is growing and leafing out
all over the place - I've even got lush grass where it has been sparse in the
past. Guess all the rainy days have done the job.
Joan

I've had a similar experience to yours, Ken. Stuff is growing and leafing
out
all over the place - I've even got lush grass where it has been sparse in the
past. Guess all the rainy days have done the job.
Joan

PS - I'm in Central Connecticut.
J

"Kenneth G. Schwarz" wrote in message . net...
I garden in Montauk, NY, which is zone 7. We had a brutal winter with much
snow, which is unusual for Montauk. The spring has been unusually cool with
large amounts of rain almost every other day. In spite of what appears to
be the adverse weather conditions, my garden has never developed as much or
as early as it has this spring. Many of my perennials are twice as large as
last year. My shrubs, particularly the hydrangeas, are magnificant. Plants
that appeared to be struggling suddenly have exploded with new growth.
Plants have self-seeded and I now have things growing where none grew
before. While I long for mild winters and early springs, apparently my
plants feel otherwise. I would be interested in knowing if anyone else has
had the experience I have described.

Ken Schwarz

I live in Zone 6 Northern NJ and had the same experience as you. Many
of my perennials that I had given up on have come up strong. Others
are simply much bigger than before. I have lilies and peonies and
roses all of which are putting out lots of buds.

--Reva Narasimhan

"Kenneth G. Schwarz" wrote:

I garden in Montauk, NY, which is zone 7. We had a brutal winter with much
snow, which is unusual for Montauk. The spring has been unusually cool with
large amounts of rain almost every other day. In spite of what appears to
be the adverse weather conditions, my garden has never developed as much or
as early as it has this spring. Many of my perennials are twice as large as
last year. My shrubs, particularly the hydrangeas, are magnificant. Plants
that appeared to be struggling suddenly have exploded with new growth.
Plants have self-seeded and I now have things growing where none grew
before.

I'm in Queens, so we had about the same weather. The winter was hard on some of
the bamboo, but it seems to be recovering. Our tiny backyard has turned into a
meadow, with the clover I seeded last year finally taking hold.

I think that the constant rain hurt some of the new bamboo, which started
shooting at the beginning of May. On the few sunny days we've had, it grows
almost visibly.

Everything is slowly getting back to normal. We seem to be transitioning
directly from winter to summer, without much of a spring.


Tony Karp, TLC Systems Corp

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