Well, it wouldn't surprise me. April was colder than March for SE Michigan, the first time this has happened since records were kept starting in 1870. Seems to me we're in a "brave new world" of weather. Fasten your seatbelts, it appears that it's going to be a bumpy ride. Alas, I was wandering around in the rain the other night (Monday) after I took care of my critters, looking at the results of the 26 degree morning Sunday. I think the saddest sight was my Shellbark Hickory, which was full of bright green new leaves, male catkins and female buds emerging as of Saturday. By Monday night, they were dark brown, limp, and hanging. Sad. The tree will push new growth, but no nuts for the tree rats from that tree this year.

Claudia, I too was at the Farmer's Market Festival yesterday and had a blast. We bought a large dragonfly piece from the ironworks booth and just a few plants for fun: -green japenese maple for around our pond shade -sample of Carolina phlox, something I've not grown before -solomon's seal -spike moss, which looked like a neat groundcover for the shade I'm brand new to this forum and still very new to gardening... I've learned in increments over the past 4-5 years but I'm still a newbie. Should I cover any of my emerging perennials tonight, to be safe? We haven't put anything new in, but will the frost do damage to new stuff coming up?

We got nailed Mon night. Since I covered everything I could and brought in what I could, that stuff is ok, but all my nuts trees were damaged, all my young oak trees, and several other young trees. I don't know how bad the frost will affect my nut, cherry and apple crop. I keep finding damage here and there - some of it mystifies me, such as the cinnamon fern got burnt at the edges but the other ferns next to it didn't. I guess some new growth is more sensitive. Weather has been great since then, though we are very very dry, and I have had to start watering everything - a rare thing in May. -Rosalinda

Our temps were lower than predicted (grrr) and the covering I used wasn't enough for 27 degrees. I have two Husky Cherry Reds which were about 9" tall and have now lost their leaves. The lower stems are still green. I'll keep watering them and see what happens next. Lost most of the leaves on the figs (right next to the house), all the new growth on the spring-flowering camellia (right next to the house), all the new growth on the dwarf Burford hollies on the side away from the house, much of the new growth on the inkberries I planted last fall, and most of the (very new) leaves on the young walnut trees. Of course this is NOTHING compared to the infamous 2007 freeze. So far the apples and cherries (which had already flowered and set fruit) seem okay. The two podocarpus (which some people say shouldn't even be grown in anything colder than zone 8) are just fine -- even the new growth. Go figure.