Rain and Frost!

The last week or so has been rainy and cold! The temperature dropped below freezing on a couple of nights and the daytime highs didn't get above 50 degrees F. I was even able to see from the garden snow on Mt. Diablo and on the ridges of Las Trampas! All my little tender tropicals were cozily tucked in the greenhouse so I was free to enjoy the cold. Of course all of the native plants were fine - even the seedlings - and everything was nicely drenched with rain. Despite this cold Prunus mume "Matsubara" has started to bloom and the lilac bush on the side of the house has several clusters of flowers and even some new leaves. I'm very excited by the fragrance of the Prunus flowers - spicy, with a hint of floral sweetness! Speaking of scent, the white heliotrope next to my door is still blooming strongly, greeting me in the morning with a lush vanilla scent. And though the blooms are white, some are faintly blushed with lavender. Later (still mastering that whole camera thing) I'll get up pictures of some of the many blooms that are present right now.