The temperature dropped

Found the blackthorn tree in flower last week. Such a pity the skies were grey because blue sky and sunshine would have made this photo so much more impressive!

The garden was just starting to sprout new shoots and splashes of colour with daffodils and crocus and after two splendid sunny days in which we sat out and enjoyed a glass of wine, a night hit where the temperature dropped down to minus 2 degrees C.

(Which I suppose is about 28 F though nobody in the world (but the USA!) still uses Fahrenheit.)  Today all the new buds are hanging their heads, wilted and  white with frost. They are not used to such cold conditions here in our temperate maritime climate characterized by mild winters, cool-to-warm summers, and high, consistent rainfall due to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream. the UK rarely experiences extreme temperatures, with average winter temperatures around 0–5°C and summer averages of 15–20°C. Which is I suppose is why a surprise cold snap is always a shock!

Here's hoping the plants recover.