How ironic to read this, on an afternoon when the temperature here has hit 105 (within view of the Pacific Ocean -- this will break all records for the date) and the humidity has dropped to 7%.

The east wind is blowing, and every rose bloom I see has turned to potpourri.

As Gilda Radner said . . . "It's always something."

The swings are getting wider, and wilder, in both directions. I remember the Easter freeze well. Here, after the first night of the freeze the HIGH the next day was 21, after getting down to 15F the night before. That was after weeks of above average temperatures, 70's and 80's for days on end the entire month of March. The farmers in TN, deceived by the Summer-like weather, planted their corn crops a month early, and then lost them all to the freeze. The oak trees were leafed out, and the old timers planted corn when "oak leaves were the size of a mouse's ear". That year, the leaves were closer to being the size of the whole mouse, but it was still too early. Our average last FREEZE date is April 4. Our average last FROST date is April 21st.

I only had a few teas and chinas at the time, and I covered them in the most elaborate tents of bamboo stakes bent into arches, covered in blankets and quilts. But I have wayyyyy too many to do that now, and most are too big anyway. Mons Tillier, in a POT, is almost 6'x6'. And he's on the small side of my teas. So this time they'll have to take their chances, while I chew my fingernails into nubs, and wake multiple times to check the temperature, lol.

Seil, is that an Easter Bunny, or an arctic hare??? lol

How heartbreaking! Extreme highs and extreme lows are equally destructive. I just brought all my potted roses out of the barn yesterday, and after reading this, I'm ready to put them back. Our first planting date is Mother's Day, but it's already in the 60'sF. We all need big greenhouses so we can grow whatever we want, when we want. When will someone invent a big garden cover, the size of the yard, air conditioned and heated, that can be lifted and lowered as the need arises. And, disappears when not in use.

Seil, you must be popular with the kids in the neighborhood.

I hope your garden fares well through this cold snap , Ann and all. That's interesting about the powdery mildew problem you had. I went through that Easter freeze and don't remember any powdery mildew. I have not been outside yet today to see if I can see any damage. I spent most of the day yesterday bringing potted plants into my house and under my house, and covering other stuff.

Love that bunny, Seil. That just epitomizes an Easter freeze.

I am really not nearly as worried about my roses as I am my clems and hydrangeas and Japanese maple. But I hear clems are pretty tough. Glad I put a lot of mine indoors all the same and covered what I could with inverted pots and tubs. Tried clipping some fabric onto a couple of hydrangeas but it was so windy it wouldn't stay put.

We did get a frost last night. Will the one frost hurt any bloom already on the roses. Not sure how long it's been on them. Sun is coming up now.

We had snow on April 1st. The temp is 21 F right now, the land is frozen at this moment but it will warm up to 48 F today. Easter freeze happens almost every year here. It's truly an ice hole.

Your new property looks just beautiful, Summers. The trouble with this late freeze is that it warmed up prior to it. But so far I don't see much damage. Got colder last night than Thursday night. My plants are going back outside today and tomorrow.

My hydrangeas and Japanese maples are toast. I can see those from the house. I haven't had the heart to go check the roses yet.

Thursday night we squeaked by with 29F, didn't do a *lot* of damage. Last night it hit 25F, and was below freezing for almost five hours.

Now, a predicted high today of 62F :P

I so hate this freeze business at Easter.

Well, in spite of my hydrangeas, maples, camellia blooms (the buds seem ok) and various perennials being toast (oh, gosh...the fern fiddleheads are mush. But I covered the hostas, and that's a whole 'nuther epic story), the roses are faring much better. Other than the ones in low-lying frost pockets, most of the roses seem to be fine, other than just the tips of new growth. Almost all of that got burnt. But the canes themselves and the majority of leaves look ok....for now. I'm sure the new basal breaks are probably damaged, but I won't know the worst for a couple of days. I do know those big, fat, glorious, *succulent* new canes on climbing Maman Cochet are goners.

The roses in frost pockets are mostly big ramblers/climbers/house eaters. The majority of the plant is above the coldest air, so what damage they have won't affect the main flush. *I hope*.

Only 18 more days and counting until our last frost date, lol.

Oh I hate when those big basals freeze, John. Hoping for the best for you, John.

Thanks Sheila. All told, things are better off than I feared. And the forecast is for a warming trend. Just watch, I'll be back in a few weeks complaining how hot it is :P lol

Sometimes, when a great basal, or several, are lost to Frost or rabbits etc, the rose does not try again. I really find that sad. It is like the rose got depressed.

Thanks Linda. Hopefully there won’t be too much damage to everyone’s roses and plants. What a crazy weather we are having. Waiting for the weather to warm up from 30’s to 50’s today to plant most of the potted roses in the garage (from last year‘s order). There won’t be any garden design, just dig holes and plant them. Lol I need to move them out of garage, so I could move a few motorcycles and scooters over. I am at the edge of countryside. 1 mile from town /city line, speed around town is 30-40 mph, I could even ride little Honda Ruckus to Home depot, it goes 40 mph, 100mpg. Spring is almost here, and summer is very near. Get your bikes, bicycles, garden tools out, get ready to play! Happy Easter! :-)