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GA, the winds Friday and Saturday were the worst I have seen in a long time. Sustained at about 40mph gusting to 70. A bit of flurry activity here, but to the east all roads had closed because of icing on roads caused by wind and snow. It was a nasty couple of days and nearly back to normal today. Though they are calling for another winter storm next weekend.

Finally, final decision (I hope) on a house plan. Now onto placement on the lot and landscape plan with tall fescue lawn, drought tolerant plants but not cactus tolerant. Agastache, spirea, Echinacea, and other thoughts appreciated. Fat Albert Spruce, Autumn blaze maple.....
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Well, we're surely in a different mode of gardening now, after the winter storm last night and early this morning. I'm really glad I didn't get anything planted yet. Maybe I should wait until the 4th of July, given this out of season weather?

I hesitate to even go out given the winds and extensive ice. And I'm not prepared to see my lovely little crocuses battered about.

Yesterday brought chilly rain; overnight brought some snow, freezing rain and icing up. Fortunately I didn't lose power. It's been a while since we've had this extensive an ice storm.

The yard and garden are covered in ice, lovely crystals which would be shining if there were any sun present. Still, ice is lovely, and has such a magical sheen.

One of the trees in the garden has been a widow maker for years. Right now there are 3 branches that are bent over at about a 30 degree angle, and another that's held steady at about 45 degrees for several hours. Another smaller widow maker has only one branch at the 45 degree angle.

I really do hope they crack and break off because they're in a location where getting to them is impossible with a cherry picker, and they're not strong trees and stable for climbing.

Anyone else hit by this late winter storm?
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I missed these comments; I'll need to make a good cup of coffee and come to this thread as the weekend turns into a winter storm, as predicted.
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iris's blooming.
Wind is so disastrous today.The fields are just tornados of dust. I hope it stops soon. I saw a documentary once about the dustbowl. How some women went crazy because of the wind and they could not keep the dust out if their house. I can see how that could happen.
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Very windy here.🌀 Burn ban. Maybe blizzard tomorrow. But the weeds are doing great. Goatheads coming up 😧 and lilacs budding out. Looking forward to new home, almost there with a plan, down to two. Then design the landscape. Cutting gardens, Phillies, Columbines. Now winter storm warming official. Maybe no work tomorrow? Fingers crossed.
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So good that you got better weather CWillie.

The wind, o the wind....cannot go outside! Went out to tie up a 12 foot high vine, it i s a very cold wind. That thing was going right over if I didn't. Dust in my eyes, boards pounding against the neighbor's carport, left from asbestos cleanup...just dangerous!
The electricity blitzed for a time, after a loud bang. It could have been a blown transformer down a ways, but this not knowing.......
My garden will be needing therapy after this.
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Finally a day of mild weather, crocus that had been reluctant to open burst into bloom, the buds swelled on the trees and I think the grass grew a 1/2 inch today. Plants weren't the only thing bursting forth, people poured from their houses and the brave shed their coats to welcome the sun, I even wrapped mom up and took her outside for a few minutes. Hurrah!

Of course they're predicting freezing rain on the weekend.
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Gardenartist-your garden plans sound lovely. Maybe when you finish you might send me a picture, would love to see it.

We actually have a hoop house. Unfortunately this is only our first winter with it and have not heated it yet. SO up until the last two cold cold days, we weren't concerned about the cold, it was staying warm in there. But since we have plants that are ready to produce fruit we got scared to lose them so we also covered with the leaves for insulation. it worked, thankfully.
hoping to have heating this next winter. We had tomatoes growing until the end of December, then one extremely cold night lost it all.
But your gardening is the kind I enjoy, and love to do. Hoping to get to do some flower gardens this year. A pollinator garden.
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Smeshque, another way to protect from freezes is to use "hoop houses", which are also used to plant baby plants/seedlings outdoors and protect them until the weather warms up. And as you've discovered, leaf mulch helps a lot too.

I'm trying something different this year, a culmination of years of drafting garden plans in the style of a formal garden. I'm creating beds, bordered not by boxwood or typical shrubbery type plants, but by daylilies, irises and other perennials. I plan to hide mulch inside the beds at the base of the borders, and rake it out to protect as necessary against frigid weather.

We too are having a peculiar spring. We've had snow 4 days, more last night, including up to 6"in the northern suburbs.
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Gardening Magazine came in the mail yesterday!
It was addressed to someone down the street, lol.
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Your forecast is looking good Ali, a real push of spring is on the way.
(Don't you just love having info available at your fingertips!)
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Ali, totally jealous of getting to go Cubs game! Hope the weather is good for you. Our weather has been colder than usual for April, but I’m fine with that, we’ll be roasting soon enough. Got a few things planted yesterday and bought mammoth elephant ear bulbs for a wetter spot
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It snowed in Chicago yesterday. I saw the plow/salt trucks waiting by the on ramps to the highways and thought "surely the city is overreacting some." But nope, we had some snow.

This isn't gardening related but I have a ticket to see Cubs game tomorrow night. It had better be good enough weather to go!! I can deal with this lingering cold, but don't want any rain or snow or sleet weather. It will be interesting to me to see if the famed Wrigley Field ivy is starting to get leaves yet.
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Our weather is still unstable. Yesterday was beautiful, sunny with no wind. Today it’s grey, cold and windy. Ugh!
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Wow 95.I would take it. I would love that. it has been crazy weather this year hear too.Supposed to have some high 70s and 80s the rest of the week then another cold day/ Crazy/
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Smeshque . Too bad I couldn't give you some of the heat we had here today. 95 degrees F. A scorcher. And tomorrow it'll be 75 degrees. Crazy weather.
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We had two days to protect our vegetable plants. Unexepected freeze came in . We were not prepared, so we took bags of leaves from friends, covered all the plants with them, and prayed.
We were blessed not to lose any, the leaves did a greta job offering insulation. Its the first time we tried that. And am so glad it worked.
Harvested more lettuce, turnips and spinach today.
Really hoping weather works itself out soon.
However I do not look forward to tornado season. :( :( :( :(
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I worked making a berm along part of the fence line today. It’s actually more of a mound and more will be added. The water pools in this area as a low point in the yard. After it’s done, planting perennials.
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Errg, I hate powdery mildew.
Last year I experimented with a recommended spray made of 1 part milk to 2 parts water but I waited until my plants (phlox) were too far gone to tell if it really made a difference.
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Looks like mom's yellow roses are getting powdery mildew
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you got a good deal Daughter!! That is great
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Just went plant shopping this weekend at a flea market (does everywhere have those? Tremendous hodgepodge of stuff, mostly junk, but some treasures among the plants) I bought 3 lovely purple crepe myrtles for a planned new bed along our side property line. They’ll be the tall plants with something as yet unbought that will be medium sized and also small in front. They were $5 each! Also found a small variety of crepe myrtle that has very dark, like deep burgundy leaves, blooms white, and never gets over 6-8 feet. I don’t know the name yet, need to do some research on it. Bought a climbing vine, commonly called a confederate jasmine, blooms white and smells very good. Also found verbena in pretty pinks and purples. They are perennial here. A few others I’m not thinking of at the moment. I think I spent $30 total and drove back with a smile, looking forward to digging in the dirt
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Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I agree bees near the front door is not a good idea. I didn't think about that. It's very sunny in the afternoon. Too hot in the summer standing at the front door. I like the idea of mixing edible with non edible. I'm not familiar with most of the plant suggestions. I am going to look up on the internet to see what they look like. Maybe a small tree tall enough to give shade and some flowers and edibles at the base. Thanks
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Mixing edibles and ornamental plants is a whole "thing"... consider kale, chard, herbs, even cherry tomatoes mixed with flowers - marigolds are pretty but the possibilities are endless.
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Hummingbird mint is great, low water xeriscape plant. There are many varieties and colors. Look for agastache for the options. I will be using some as well, had several at my old house.

Over the weekend I saw a gardening spot on the news. There is a giant lily hybrid that flowers get as big as your head. I may try to find those bulbs and start them in a large pot to take with me to the new house. A nice plastic lightweight pot easier to move.

There is a garden here with lilies that need to be thinned out badly. May decide to tackle that.
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Polarbear, maybe a Japanese maple tree would suit your purpose. They are pretty, slow growing and provide color and texture. Attracting pollinators to close to your entry door may not be a good idea. If you have a sunny location, hummingbird mint is very pretty and attracts bees and hummingbirds, they have a fragrant smell too.
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polarbear- what about some tiger lily's, begonias, or dahlias? They attract hummingbirds and come back each year as they are bulbs, I believe. They have a variety of colors.
Happy planting.
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My MIL wants to give us a nice HUGE heavy ceramic planter. It takes two people to lift and carry it when empty. She wants to know what we will plant in it. I have NO idea what I would plant in it. But it would look good at the front steps leading to the entrance. I prefer plants/trees with practical and useful purposes (edible, or at least attracting bees to pollinate) yet still looks pretty year round. I know I am asking for a lot.

Any suggestions? Thanks
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cwillie- I understand we planted a few things outside this last week and had to cover them today with straw and plastic in hopes they will not freeze. We are having crazy weather here, sunshine and warm and then freezing. :(
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Snowdrops first appeared in Feb during a warm spell, now they are back looking bedraggled. No sign of any other blooms yet.
Time to spray my dwarf blue spruce with dormant oil in hope of stopping a repeat of last years gypsy moth invasion.
The long term forecast is for continuing below normal temps :(
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