"Do you see the smiley face for our partner school in Chicago?"   Janet Taff in Maryland

This week the beautiful sight of blooming Test Gardens welcomed some students back from spring break, but wacky weather brought cold and snow to others.

"Tulip flowered, and then was snowed on!" observed Ed from Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin on April 2nd.

"It is interesting to watch our blooms open as the day progresses and to see them always facing the sun as it appears to travel across the sky," wrote Karen in Peoria, Illinois on April 4th.

"Half the tulips are blooming and the rest all have buds - might have something to do with the up and down weather temps. The stems seem short for some reason," observed Kristine in Crane, Missouri on March 29th.

Short Stems
Some of our gardeners noticed that their tulips had very short flower stalks. Our expert, Dr. Mary Meyer shares the physiology of why this might be happening.

"Some years, with warmer spring temperatures, some of the tulip stems won't lengthen at all before flowering."

The big, bold Red Emperor flower is a treasure to explore. Look closely. As your tulips bloom continue to explore their different parts.

• Form and Function

This school's garden is located on a bay in the northern Atlantic Ocean at 47°N latitude. How does this garden location compare to your own?

• Journal: Miramichi Garden

Complete your own garden profile, then compare the climate variables of your site with the New Hampshire garden in this week's journal handout.

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Our Garden Profile