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10/03/2009


my photo

FROST DAMAGE

There has been a noticeable amount of frost damage this winter. Not only has this favourite pot of mine pictured above, with its piecrust rim, succumbed to the changeable weather conditions, but also many other terracotta pots around the garden.

Not being one for covering up with fleece or bubble wrap, mesembryanthemum and lavender plants, usually fairly hardy in this part of the UK, have not made it through the winter. In hindsight, I should have placed out of harm's way along a sheltered wall. A plant cannot possibly survive with constant freezing and thawing, and having to sit in cold, wet compost!

Tell me which plants have you lost this winter, in your part of the world?


24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Some of my Lillie pots have suffered frost damage this winter (in Wales)
2 have completely shattered ... not sure yet about plants.
K

shadows and clouds said...

well, as for plants being lost, to be honest the ones we lost were lost before the frosts ...namely a white heather and a purple heather - any tips on keeping them happy most heartily appreciated!
however as we were planting our seeds last weekend we did notice that an awful lot of our pots were irrepairably damaged and had to be thrown out. fortunately most of them were ones we'd found next to bins on the street (absurd what perfectly good things people throw out) so it felt a little less bad having to get rid of them, but still it was a shame. i too don't do the fleece/bubblewrap thing, but will have to take more care next year.

Glo said...

It's Spring Break here so I have some time off and the first chance really to look around the garden ~ now that the snow has disappeared once more! Yesterday was like a beautiful spring day. There seems to be a fair amount of frost damage to plants and pots! I'm still looking for signs of green at the roots in case there's still life below the surface! The roses seem to have survived ~ since I just planted them last year I wasn't sure how they'd make out with all the snow they were under. It's still cold at night, dipping below zero, so we're not out of the woods yet! I don't think any of us were expecting such a cold snowy winter, hence the unprotected pots etc.

Amanda and Tim said...

Oh I have missed so much!! We didn't really have plants to lose this year though the herbs and our winbow box plants survived (barely)... we've just moved into a new house though and my parents are coming down this weekend to help us set up a veg garden (in big pots as we can't change the garden layout as we are renting) and what to do with the garden to keep it up and make it nice for when the owners do return (and also teach us invaluable skills for when we finally get our own place)... so however much I loved your blog before now it has a huge significance :o)

Suburbia said...

I have noticed lots of my pots look a little like yours too!

Anonymous said...

some hyacynths that are coming up look ruined from the frost. Shame about the pot, it looks like a lovely one.

Simone said...

I've not had a good look around the garden yet to see if any plants have died but the terracotta plant pots have also cracked.

Gina said...

I've never had any pots crack but last winter we had one of the worst frosts here and lost an azaelea..usually they are pretty hardy to frost.

Suzanne said...

Wow you must have pretty severe frosts. We never have frost here in Perth really but some parts of Australia do.
Hope Spring is coming to your garden soon.

Lori at Jarvis House said...

We have had a much colder winter here on Long Island, NY, zone #7. I haven't lost any plants, but I do bring in my terra cotta pots and put them in my barn. Cement pots do a lot better, once you find a spot where you don't have to move them to mow. They are heavy, but the last and last, and I like the patina they have after a while. Most paint flakes off of cement or terra cotta pots because of water coming from the inside. But that can look nice too.

Poppy said...

I have lost a few pots this winter!
I seem to be ok with the plants; mind you the banana plant is not looking too good!
Love Lou xxx

david mcmahon said...

We've just completed a terrible summer here in Australia - and I lost rose bushes for the first time.

Cathy said...

Hello Louise
whata great blog you have here, I will read more another day
However its not been frost that has killed things in my garden here in Melbourne but the never ending drought and terrible ghastly furnace like summer we have had.
Like David I too have lost a couple of rose bushes and thought some soft things like nepeta and scabiosa had gone but after some some very welcome rain I noticed they have started to sprout again.
Where theres green theres hope lol
Take care
Cathy

Anonymous said...

Hi Louise
Thanks for vising my blog and for your lovely comment.I've fallen in love with your blog and it's stunning photographs. what a delightful place to come and visit. I will definitly be back to catch up on your garden news.
xx
Sumea

sheila said...

Well, I lost a beautiful fat frog I bought on the ferry when we moved here. He flaked just like your pot did. Haven't noticed if I've lost any plants, though.

Marie said...

Louise, I have lost pots, not plants, but it's normal in New York. Very high-end terra cotta weathers well, I find, but is insanely expensive.

Heather said...

Some of my roses are looking a little worse for wear this Spring. I'm hoping with a good pruning, some warm weather and a little more care and attention that they will make a comeback though.

Anonymous said...

poor pot -- I've lost plants but that was mainly due to builders feet -- my foxglove has gone , all my daffs were snapped but they did look lovely in a vase , hopefully we managed to get all the cement off the top of the fern - fingers crossed, we still have a lit of lavender left -- starting again
lisa x

life in red shoes said...

I lost 2 hostas, another lilac and a bunch dianthus! And the new puppy like to "prune" whatever is left.

Donna said...

Hi Louise,
I'm enjoying your blog and will come back to read more.

I've lost a few terra cotta pots in the yard here in NC. We've had some cold days and then some really warm days.

I love the painting of the garden boots in your prior post. I'm a garden clog person. I'm almost inspired to paint my clogs now!

Happy day to you!
Donna

June said...

I'm loving your blog! I garden in the US. It is such a joy in my life. It's too early to tell here in Idaho what I may have lost but over the years I have lost many a pot.

Lynn said...

So many of my pots have the same type of damage. It was very disappointing to see.

Plastic does hold up better but it's a visual sacrifice!

elaine said...

bummer........ still pretty though. Things are just starting to comeback over here I'm crossing my fingers.

Lynn said...

I lost the garlic and spinach that was in the greehouse. It was too early for me to be planting but I couldn't resist. Some years I could get away with it.