I believe my friend Natalie was right when she posted “Winter is canceled” on her facebook page. Signs of this are showing up every day. The daffodil and tulip foliage have been peeking up for weeks and the fall planted pansies haven’t stopped blooming.
Everyone seems to be enjoying the weather–skipping around on some sort of temperate climate high. I however long for a cold snowy winter. Winter is supposed to be a slow time for planning every last detail of spring thru fall plantings. There will be no time for planning once the ground is dry enough for planting. I need cold weather and a good hard freeze!
Instead, the Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’ and the Helleborus x hybridus are blooming. Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold’s Promise’ is showing tips of yellow but I will wait to share a picture until it is near glowing. The only reason I will be able to tolerate a mild February is that the Corylopsis buds are swollen near to bursting.
Diane was just planted in 2010 and is still quite small. The few flowers it has are spectacular and slightly fragrant–it will be a show stopper.