The past winter was bitter, with permafrost for several weeks, little snow or rain, and extremely low temperatures of 18° C below zero or even lower for a couple of weeks on top of that. The damage to the garden was , for me, not too bad. Some casualties were an early clematis (montana), the laurel and mahonia, my last penstemon, and the lavender…
This spring I thought I’d lost all my lavenders… the basis of my rockery! A couple of neighbours brutally chopped down everything that had frozen. However, I waited until the bad frosts were well and truly over and then took the bull by the horns. I was daring and drastic! I pruned as far back as I could, and actually lost only 2 of my about 20 lavender plants. There are still some unsightly patches…
… but the plants are well-established and have come back – slowly, but surely!
Today I am hopeful that the worst damage can also be cut out without the plants suffering too much, and the poppy leaves and sweet williams are coming on to camouflage the ugly gaps.
Hardly any signs left of frost damage… Gardening is an extremely good lesson in patience!
Do you often lose plants in the winter?
Did you have any casualties this past winter?
Words and Herbs 