Ta dah! We’ve reached a milestone in The Signs of Spring. It’s time for the crocus report.
Yesterday morning the crocuses at Phipps Conservatory’s outdoor garden were just about to pop open. The bright sun warmed the mulch and after another hour they had opened halfway. I can say with confidence that they bloomed on March 18.
Is this late for crocuses? I checked back through my blog posts, linked below, to collect their blooming history in Pittsburgh’s East End:
- March 11, 2009
- March 11, 2010
- March 14, 2011
- February 28, 2012 (the Hot year!)
- March 18, 2013
- March 22, 2014 (the Polar Vortex year! They bloomed for only one day because the deep freeze returned March 23.)
- and now –> March 18, 2015
So … though this winter has seemed very cold the crocuses are not delayed too, too long.
(photos by Kate St. John)
p.s. They may have bloomed during Monday’s heat but I didn’t walk over to Phipps until yesterday.
Yesterday I noticed the snow drops in bloom in my garden!
I was there Monday with my Granddaughter and they weren’t bloomed yet….the spring flower show brightened my whole week.
I adore these little flowers. They truly show me fortitude. They spend all that time pushing their “little noses” up and bloom for just a short time. We all need to take our time to “bloom”. Have a great day, Kate.
I don’t have a crocus yet but snowdrops are in bloom in my yard. I’m in Northern Virginia.
On a different note, I saw just now that there is a peregrine falcon in the nest box at the Cathedral of Learning. Hoping it’s Dorothy!
Pa Gal, yes that is Dorothy at Pitt
My snowdrops have been up for 5-6 days but the deer ate then! Luckily the crocus is not on their menu so they are blooming bright yellow!
Thanks for the confirmation, Kate. Praying she’ll be fine this season.