It always gets here, some years it's later than others. If we've gained anything from this long, cold winter it's a month of procrastination in spring clean-up. That has to come to an end, Helleborus orientalis needs cut back, last years foliage looks worse than usual. Epimediums need sheared, down to the ground, today. If you wait, spring flowers will be rising into spent foliage. Any shrub pruning should be done very soon, but only on those that bloom on new wood. Examples include caryopteris, lavender and summer flowering spireas. Cut them by 30%. Shrubs like Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' and Buddleia or butterfly bush can be cut to 6".

Many broad leafed evergreens really took a beating this winter. The foliage is freeze-dried, I term I use when they suffered from the inability to rehydrate. Frozen ground doesn't allow the plant to pull up moisture so the leaves dry out as winter winds desiccate them. We had our share of winter winds and frozen ground. With new growth, the dried leaves will fall, all should recover. A little assistance might be in order, a low dose of organic fertilizer will help when the temperatures rise.

With spring flowers arriving so late, there's sure to be a spring collision. Redbuds might bloom with dogwoods, tree peonies with tulips and daffodils, a spring for the record books. I can only imagine that allergy sufferers will have a hard time with tree pollen because when spring arrives, it will be boisterous.

In truth, the colder winter will make for a better spring when it comes to plants that prefer a long dormancy. Peonies will be more richly colored. Primroses will be delighted, The American Primrose Society is headquartered in Alaska after all.

The Fauquier Daffodil Show will be held at Buchanan Hall on April 8th this year and in many years the daffodils are almost done by early April. So the gardener bends in humility as one can only hope that some daffodils will be in flower for the big show. It's really a great thing, this gardening. We fret over things we can't change and learn to embrace the good things when they come along. I think this spring will be full of good things and the long wait has only made it more desirable.