Wednesday Vignette: Surprise!

After weeks with hardly a day above 60, the Pacific Northwest is currently experiencing its warmest day of the year so far (over 81F at my house). While some residents are reveling in the sudden heatwave, and most of my plants seem to be taking it in stride, it's an unpleasant shock to my system. I was really hoping to avoid the bizarre heatwaves of the last two years. This isn't as bad as last year when we had days over 80 in April, but still unpleasant for those of us that favor cooler temperatures. I'm trying to look on the bright side. This heat will cause many plants to grow much faster (I am rather impatient for all my little plants to grow up) and will certainly make apparent once and for all what survived winter and what didn't among the evergreen trees and shrubs

Speaking of things that prefer cooler temperatures, I decided to snap a photo of this tulip before it fell apart in the heat. It appeared mysteriously one year, after dividing a patch of daffodils. Immaculate bulb conception? I'm sure the tulip had been there in the clump of daffodils since before we moved to this house, but I had seen nary a sign of flower nor leaf in all that time. Then suddenly, surprise! Tulip foliage! Another year or two, and suddenly we had these hot yellow and red flowers. Even more surprising, they've returned reliably every year (not always the case with tulips in PNW gardens) and even bloomed when I managed to keep the deer off them (before the fence was installed). Both in the hot colors and the surprising appearance and persistence, this tulip is much like the sudden heat we're experiencing.


Is this the new "normal" for PNW springs? This makes the third year in a row we've had unusually sudden rises in temperature in spring, though a bit later than the last two years. I can't say I enjoy it. It's too much like the wild temperature swings experienced elsewhere in the country.

This is my contribution to Wednesday Vignette, hosted by Anna at Flutter&Hum. Follow the link to see more vignettes.

Comments

  1. I'd love a tulips surprise! They're difficult to impossible to grow here, even when the bulbs are pre-chilled and the plants are treated as annuals. Inevitably, our Santa Ana winds arrive and wither the flowers in bud. We've turned hot here - upper 80sF - and I'm finding the adjustment difficult after just one relatively cool winter.

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    1. Yesterday was a shock to my system, almost 82 after hardly a day above 60 all spring. I've never been very interested in tulips, despite featuring one in this post (it's a special case). There are so many more interesting flowers you can grow in your climate.

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  2. Immaculate bulb conception? Yeah, I think that must be it! Anyway, you made me laugh!
    I'm with you on the sudden temperature fluctuations - I would much rather take the slow and gradual route. Spikes of any sort messes with my system...

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    1. Happy to elicit a laugh. I had to dismiss the idea, though. Nothing holy happens in my garden.

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  3. That tulip is gorgeous and the story makes it even more special! It was only 76 here yesterday. I got into my car after work and enjoyed baking in the heat for a while before I opened a window. It was the first day that we didn't have to wear coats at recess or worse than that, stay inside for rainy day recess. Loved it and am looking forward to another lovely day (72) today.

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    1. Seventy-six seems so much more reasonable. I think it's supposed to be warmer today than yesterday in my area. On the bright side, we might get a thunderstorm.

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  4. I heard what is said about tulips in the PNW: A bi-annual at best. All the tulips I ever planted come back reliably year after year. On the other hand, I've planted hundreds of daffodil bulbs over the years, and after blooming once they never come back. It left me frustrated, but also I started to love tulips more. As the songs goes: Love the you're with!
    I love that courageous tulip you have. It's a stunner.

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    1. My garden is the opposite. This tulip is the oddball and the daffodils are unkillable. But if tulips are happy in your garden, go with it!

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  5. I hope this is not the new norm. I moved here to escape weather like that! The tulip is beautiful.

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    1. I want to move to the coast because I find even the relatively mild normal weather of the I5 corridor in Washington and Oregon too much. These spring heat waves just make me want to move that much more.

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