Last year we waited too long to purchase our spring flowers for the deck and our outdoor pots on the patio and front porch, so there were no pansies left by the time I decided to get to the garden center to make my purchase. So this year we purchased early, full well knowing that there may still be some cold nights that they needed to be covered or brought inside.
My husband wheeled the large pots from the back patio into his lower garage and they are sharing some time with the JD lawnmower and all the rakes, hoes and outdoor tools that also live there.
The tools don't mind sharing.
Last night it did indeed get cold, down into the lower 30's although it did not freeze, but you can never be too careful in caring for your flowers since they are not a cheap investment and you want them to live for your enjoyment as long as possible.
We purchased this patio set as well as the umbrella way back in 1998 when we lived in Arizona, and the umbrella looks horrible with striped areas due to fading from the intense sunlight in the Southwest, but my husband hangs onto things that he thinks may at some point be useful.
Last night that usefulness came in handy.
He decided to place the umbrella on the table in the screened-in porch, carry the potted flowers from the deck inside,
and set them onto the table.
then he lowered the umbrella so that it served as a lid and let it protect the flowers for the night.
This morning the pansies and the lettuce are all safe and sound,
but they will remain there on the table since tonight has the possibility of more cold temperatures.
How about you?
Are your springtime flowers potted yet and did you need to protect them last night?
Do you use towels, blankets, or some other method of protection for them?
