February, good riddance

If you compare this winter to last winter, it would appear that we had it easier this season, but our plants don't seem to look a whole lot better.  I will admit, I don't think we have as much death and destruction this season, but there will be a little winter damage.

      

 The mild weather leading up to the cold will have caused some problems.  Last week I saw quite a few open blooms on tulip and saucer magnolias,

      

along with Camellia japonica blooms.

      

 Any open blooms are now brown. Hopefully, the open flowers were just the tip of the iceberg, and we should still have more to follow.  I think we all hope this is the last round of bitter cold.  It was interesting that this time the ice lasted on trees and shrubs for several days,

      

while the roads (at least in central and southern Arkansas) stayed clear.