While I am enjoying this year’s early spring, our saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana) was tricked into bloom a month too soon. I looked out this morning and all the buds, which were just a day or so away from opening all the way up, were frozen solid. By afternoon, they had turned brown.
One of the great things about digital cameras is that they keep track of dates, so I could easily check to see when I have taken pictures of the tree in bloom in past years. My largest collection of shots is dated April 9. While similar trees in Pennsylvania, where we lived before, were frosted out probably three years out of four, this is the first time we have lost flowers to freezing temperatures since we moved here in 2004. I will have to content myself with photos of magnolia flowers this year. I expect I am not alone.
Flowers on April 9 in a previous year.
The loss also prompted me to check dates for a few other plants that are currently in bloom in the garden. My hellebores typically bloom around the third week of March, but this year they have been flowering since the third week of February. Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) and winter aconites (Eranthus hyemalis) were also about a month early.
Snowdrops, March 10 in a previous year.
Winter aconites, March 5 in a previous year.
Eastern Shore Gardener 
I had exactly the same experience this morning, Barbara. I was mentally prepared for the loss because I watch the temperature this time of year, but still…
On Sun, Mar 5, 2017 at 4:06 PM, Eastern Shore Gardener wrote:
> Eastern Shore Gardener posted: “While I am enjoying this year’s early > spring, our saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana) was tricked into bloom > a month too soon. I looked out this morning and all the buds, which were > just a day or so away from opening all the way up, were frozen solid” >
Jeanne: It is a sad sight, isn’t it? I even love the petals after they fall on the garden. They look like pink mulch for a few days. Barbara