First Snow of 2014

November 2, 2014 will go down in my memory as the first time ever I can remember a significant snowfall that early in the year. We received between 6 and 8 inches at Oak Hill Lodge. A wet, heavy snow, it took its toll on the trees and shrubs most of whom had not even had the chance to drop their leaves. As the day went on, oak leaves encased with snow hit the roof of the Lodge, making loud thuds and forming into snow balls as they rolled their way several feet down the roof. We went out shortly before dark to see if we could help any of the trees that had bent to the ground, but it was a case where you risked more damage in an effort to help. The Kousa dogwood, the birches, the fruit trees, the Japanese maple and all the forsythia were bent right to the ground, some having lost branches which snapped under the weight of the snow. We lost two fairly large pines in the storm. The weathermen said it was a nor'easter with winds gusting to 50 mph. Winter surely came fast this year. The morning I still had roses blooming, marigolds looking grand, tropicals such as canna lilies and elephant ear still in their glory, potted annuals like love lies bleeding and nasturiums still cranking out blossoms and by afternoon, all was frozen under a blanket of white. Now I start crossing my fingers that we warm up again so that tubers can be removed from pots, gardens can be cleaned up and leaves can be mulched.