So we did get snow this week!

Well, the weather forecast was certainly correct, we did get snow this week!

What a strange weather week it turned out to be! Up until Tuesday it was still feeling like spring had sprung, with more flowers appearing each day in the warm sunshine.

The now familiar daffodils all along the grass verges were bursting into flower.

But Tuesday morning. I thought it seemed a bit bright when I woke up. Sure enough we’d had a sprinkling in the night, just enough to make everything in the garden look really pretty. 

By mid-morning though, the sun had come out and the snow was a just memory. We had clear blue March skies. That wasn’t so bad now was it!

On Wednesday we were expecting more, but all we got was grey skies and a bit of sleet. Had the weather forecaster got it wrong?

Upon waking on Thursday morning I knew immediately what had arrived in the night!

That distinctive brightness, brighter than a sunny morning, definitely brighter than Tuesday morning! And that complete eerie silence, as all sounds are cushioned and absorbed by – ‘the snow’.

I opened the bedroom blind and a blanket of white had wiped out all imperfections in the garden. The green algae on the paths; the patios waiting for some nice looking resin to go on top of the concrete; all looked beautiful!

Unfortunately it was wet snow which is heavier, as opposed to dry snow which is lighter. I know it sounds as silly as fine rain wetting you more than heavy rain, but it’s true!

The wet snow had bent the bamboo right over. Luckily it is incredibly flexible but its still not ideal. I got togged up, grabbed a rake and ventured out to bash the bamboo. The snow started to drop and the bamboo swung back up again.

Next stop the pond to clear an area for drinking. You could see the bird foot prints all around the garden, oh I do feel sorry for them at times like this.

It snowed all day long but strangely never got any thicker.

Friday morning though was a different matter, it was visibly thicker and not only was the bamboo bent right over again, but the olive tree was looking rather droopy too!

Out came the rake again, but it was harder to knock off than yesterday as it was a bit frozen.

Surprisingly, by 8.30am blue skies appeared, the sun came out and it started to thaw rapidly. I suppose that’s the power of the March sun.

In saying that we’d had so much it was going to take some melting to get rid of it!

As I came back into the village at lunchtime the flowers were starting to appear through the white. The ducks on the pond looked much more animated and I stopped to see my favourite old tree against its snowy background.

As the melt water started to flow I thought this is great, the garden was so desperate for a drink, but then I remembered what was forecast for that night, -5. 

Poor plants, there they were having a nice winter sleep. The weather turns really mild so they decide to start growing. Then bosh, a week into March, they get snowed on; over saturated with melt water; bathe in beautiful warm spring sunshine for an afternoon; then freeze their little bits off all night.

The patio table shows my view on Thursday, Friday, and then Saturday. I pleased to say that it is finally free from snow this morning. Despite still being a bit cold with a few bits remaining here and there.

I’m off to the greenhouse after breakfast and who knows might even get into the garden later.

Stay safe & happy gardening.