We haven’t had much rain this winter — less than 3 inches so far — and only a couple of nights of frost (normal is around 14 nights between late december and mid-February). The mild winter has meant two things:
- I’ve actually had to water the orchards and herb gardens
- All of the flowering plants seem to be waking up from a short winter’s nap.
Clivia in full bloom in late February
I have mixed feelings about this. The short winter really makes me want to get outside and start planting for the spring. I’d love to have things like peas, spinach, lettuce, and other early vegetables ready to eat by April.
Camelias bloom along the walk to the lower gardens (there’s a mockingbird nesting in there that attacks every time you walk by.)
At the same time, the low rainfall makes me worry about the summer and how dry it’s going to be. Living in the San Diego foothills, fire is a big risk (we actually have a “fire season” here), and a dry winter usually means a really dry summer where anything from lightning to careless campers can set off huge brush fires.
Peruvian Lilly blooming under the roses in the Upper Garden
Ah well, no sense in worrying about the summer, when it’s still winter. Guess I’ll just enjoy the garden waking up from its short winter nap.
0 responses so far ↓
There are no comments yet...Kick things off by filling out the form below.
Leave a Comment