I don't know if it will provide any solace to those now buried in snow and ice, but conditions here in Maryland in some years are the same. We have periods where the daytime temperature does not get above freezing, and we sometimes get snow on top of ice and vice versa. Recent years are spoiling us: if things ever get back to the old normal, expect me to be singing a sadder tune at this time of year. Jim Waddick mentioned the palm Rhapidophyllum hystrix. It grows well in the garden here; in fact, it is the only palm which has bloomed here as a garden plant. Because of its reputation for hardiness (it's widely regarded as the hardiest palm for our area), it's often the first palm local gardeners who want a palm plant. The consensus seems to be that it does better in light shade than in full sun; plants in the sun often take on a yellowish cast. There is a huge specimen on the grounds of the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. which has been there for decades. Today temperatures are above fifty degrees again, and crocuses are open, snowdrops are out, the first winter aconites have pushed through the leaves, hellebores in general are starting to bloom, witch hazels are wonderful, winter sweet is sweet, and in the cold frames things are popping. Jim McKenney jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, USDA zone 7 where mourning doves are calling for the first time this year and titmice have changed over to their spring calls. My Virtual Maryland Garden http://www.jimmckenney.com/ BLOG! http://mcwort.blogspot.com/ Webmaster Potomac Valley Chapter, NARGS Editor PVC Bulletin http://www.pvcnargs.org/ Webmaster Potomac Lily Society http://www.potomaclilysociety.org/