Spring in Plant Hardiness Zone 7

Here I am, for my first Spring time, nestled into the embrace of the Blue Ridge Mts., VA.
This has been, I am told, an exceptionally mild winter. But for someone who is escaping New England winters, I am certainly not complaining.

I first wrote about my transition in November (2007) in A Gardener's Soul: Growing Zone 5 to Zone 7. Moving from growing zone 5 in western MA to growing zone 7 in VA allows landscape gardening experimentation and realization of decades-old dreams of warm weather gardens.

Winter months quickly passed. We tallied up:

• one small snow storm that left quickly melting snow,
• an ice storm after which the ice also quickly melted, and
  
• high winds which brought down utility lines causing power outages and forest fires.

Recent writings about spring in zone 7 include an entry for early February (2008):

• Spring Arrives in Plant Zone 7. Early spring in Virginia (USA) arrives with the blooming of snow drops (Galanthus nivalis) and winter jasmine (Jasminium nudiflorum).

And another for last week - late February (2008):

• Leap Day and Spring Flowers. Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) and Crocus Tomasianus, reminders of Sissinghurst Gardens and Vita Sackville-West, surprise us here in Zone 7 at the end of February.