Hi Kathleen--Our situation here in the Midwest mirrored yours in the Northeast. One exception, though. Thankfully, no snow.

Disappointments and triumphs are part and parcel for those of us who garden. I have two potted Japanese Maples that are about 15 years old. They were starting to break dormancy earlier than usual this year, so I brought them out of their winter hideaway in an unheated room in the basement. They were fully leafed out on the front patio when the freeze hit. To be safe, I covered them with sheets--flannel, no less! Evidently Mother Nature has a different conception of "safe" than I do. Their tops froze despite my efforts.

They're starting to recover nicely now, thank goodness. I had feared that the sap might have frozen, which would have burst the wood and bark and would have meant the end of those beautiful maples. So, despite the damage to the tree tops, I count myself very lucky.

Hi Larry, yeah, we've had our three snows on the daffodils, so spring can take over anytime!
I have a Acer jap. dissectum that went through a really bad year last year, the voles girdle it and I thought it gone, but it put out leaves, so I potted it up. It was in a machinery shed all winter. I was pretty sure it was dead, but it has leaf buds, so it is out near the house. I'm not sure how cold it got last night, there was a little frost in the grass and it is only 31 now. if I lose it, it was a lovely 5 year experiment. I put a 'Reliable" peach tree in the space where the maple was. Silly thing bloomed early, so a crop is doubtful. I got an "Autumn Moon" maple from Michelle. It is rated for zone 5, so if I keep it covered when it snows, I may be all right with it.

I love the foliage on 'Autumn Moon.' There are so many gorgeous Japanese Maples that every time I see one, I simply have to have it ... Then I remind myself that I have to schlep the two I already have into and out of the basement each year.

I'll let you know how my little moon fairs, maybe it will be the one you can stick in the ground. And there's always Bloodgood - it survives very nicely here.

Thanks, Kathlen.