It’s April Fool’s Day 2009, and it’s snowing in Seattle — no joke. Last year our last snow arrived in mid-April, so I shouldn’t be too surprised we’re seeing snow, sleet, cold rain today. But, it really puts a cramp in my gardening programs.
Flowering Winter Currant, Cousin to the Black Currant
Yes, I do work in inclement weather. I get muddy, drenched, cold and stiff out there on days like today. But, sometimes I make a judgment call to reschedule appointments when the weather is rough. It’s not because I think my clients can’t handle a little cold and wet and muddy. Gardeners, new and old, need to get out there in any weather and just go for it. But, there are a couple of exceptions…for instance…
Last weekend I had scheduled to help a client install new plants. On the scheduled day we woke up to soggy soil and an incessant downpour. I knew we would be working on a narrow rockery with a steep drop off. I also knew that the soil was saturated and would be compacted by our tramping and transplanting. For the safety of the plants and the people, I rescheduled the planting session for the following day, which turned out to be clear, sunny and warm.
This morning I was scheduled to provide an initial gardening consultation to a new client who lives at the edge of our convergence zone. As the time to leave my house approached, I noticed snow creeping into our steady downpour. Since this new client wanted help planning and evaluating his spaces, I knew much of our two hours would be spent in the garden where both of us would be taking notes, sketching and talking. Yes, I use Rite-in-the-Rain paper, which works really well (up to a point) in rough weather. But, would my client really be able to learn and focus in a snowy, cold, wet downpour? I had my doubts. So, I rang him up and gave him the option to reschedule. He sighed with relief saying, “I hoped you’d call. It’s snowing here.”
I didn’t lose a client in either case. In the planting installation example I actually saved myself the pain and misery of planting in rough weather, and I probably saved my client some money by completing the job more rapidly in better weather. Plus, her garden soil didn’t take a huge compaction hit from traffic and planting while soggy. In the case of the consulting client, he’s now scheduled for a day that (at least right now) looks to be drier and warmer. Who doesn’t like that option?
So not only do I encourage you to be patient with your gardener gardening in winter, but remember that just because we’ve entered daylight savings and the calender says it is spring it doesn’t mean Mother Nature will automagically give us perfect days of sunshine and rainbows. Today she’s having a pretty good April Fool’s joke on all of us here in the greater Seattle area. So, my advice, go with it. Have a laugh and find a way to roll with the punches. There really isn’t anything you can do about it anyway.
