Why can't we just have average weather sometimes?

Oh, weather. The bane of every gardener in Minnesota. You look at our averages and think it shouldn't be a problem - but then you look at what weather we really get. We started out warm so early this year. Then it got cold - at least 15 degrees below average. I have to admit, we then did get a week of lovely, seasonable days. But then we went straight to late July heat wave. So warm, cold, lovely and hot - in one month! And let's not forget rain - or the lack thereof. Some years it's so dry Joe mows dust. Others he can't mow because the lawn never gets dry! Or we get a month's worth of rain in a night and then none for two weeks... Is it any wonder we have to take such special care of our plants? I remember visiting a B&B in southern England where the owner told us she only watered her pots. If anything else couldn't survive without watering, she wouldn't worry about it. If I did that, I don't know that I'd have any plants left! She also never covered anything for winter. Of course, I wouldn't either, if I only had a dozen frosts (not freezes!) a year with which to contend.

In one of my first entries, I mentioned our wonderful lilacs. Here they are in all their glory. Their scent means spring to me...