The Big Chill

"Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it." The last few weeks have brought flooding to California, Snow and ice storms to Portland, and to Tacomaville, nothing. We had a few flakes and a light dusting that quickly melted.  However, we have had longer stretches of very cold weather than we've seen in many years.  Just cold, sometimes with wind and without a protective blanket of snow is no fun for people or plants.  There are still a few blooms outside but they're few and far between.  A gardener wonders.

Will the loropetalum survive?

Were these potted rhododendrons wet enough before they froze?  

Will this be the year that the potted Abutilon megapotamicum will need to be replaced?

Will this be another phormium killing winter?

Just how many buds will fall off of the Stachyurus praecox?

The old man and the "C" are stoic as ever.

With no magnolia leaves on the tree, Buddha is visible once again. 

did you notice the ice over the falling water?  There was a bit on the surface of the pond as well.  The fish wonder when it will warm up again.

"In the bleak midwinter, frosty winds made moan.  Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone."  You may notice the downed column in the lower left of the picture.  Don't know if it was strong wind, frost thrust or a combination.  Fortunately it didn't do too much damage. 

The artless big bucked of carnivorous plants don't look dead.  Yet.

Some things look pretty good despite the cold. 

Others don't look so hot. 

 Why is it that dragons don't breathe fire when you want them to? 

It's not over until it's over and cold temperatures are predicted again for the next couple of days. In a few months, we'll know what survived and what died opportunities for plant shopping have been created.