• 1907: ----- No notes until April 29.
• 1908: ----- April 19, first day of activity
• 1909: ----- April 4, first day of activity
• 1910: ----- March 21, first day of activity. “Beautiful warm weather. Frost out of ground."
• 1911: ----- March 12, “Saw red polls and crows in Park." March 25, began planting
• 1912: ----- April 4, began planting
• 1913: ----- April 4, began planting but “frost still in the ground”
• 1914: ----- April 4, began planting
• 1915: ----- April 2, “Snow and ice. Ground still frozen. Latest season for some years.”
• 1916: ----- April 28, No notes until this date, planting began. Must have been a very late spring. Skunk Cabbage did not bloom until May 4.
• 1917: ----- April 3, “Snow deeper than ever noted before at this date on east side of swamp. Tops of several hemlocks winter killed. Rabbits had girdled several young box elders.”
• 1918: ----- March 31, “Spring more advanced than it was last year. Aspen catkins gone by." April 1, planting began
• 1919: ----- April 1, “Grubbed out locust on plateau, noted hermit thrush."
• 1920: ----- March 25, “Trillium nivale in bud." April 1, “10 flowers in blossom, several in bud, among the latter the pasque flower, which is later than usual. Hepaticas in bloom in the Garden.”
• 1921: ----- 31 March, planting began
• 1922: ----- April 1, “Season unusually late. Large patches of snow and ice in the garden. Skunk Cabbage in evidence.”
• 1923: ----- April 1, “Very cold all through March, consequently, ground still frozen and ponds still covered with ice, not even hazel or alder tasseled out.” April 7, “Heaviest snowfall of the season -- over 10 inches of snow on the level." Officially the amount was 9.6 inches and as of 2019 it is still the largest single day snowfall for April in Minneapolis weather history. April 14, “A snowfall of three inches.”
• 1924: ----- April 1, “Ground covered with 16 inches of snow on the level. The heaviest snow storm of the season, March 29-30.” April 5, “Trillium nivale in bloom.”
• 1925: ----- April 2, “weather very warm, but not rain for some time. Trillium nivale in bloom.” Planting began
• 1926: ----- April 1, “No snow on the ground, but ice still on the ponds. Season very late. Robins and bluebirds here.”
• 1927: ----- April 1, “Robins, bluebird, song sparrows here. Trillium nivale, Hepatica ... in bloom” April 19, “About an inch of snow fell in the night.” April 21, “More snow and frost.” April 22. “heavy frost, snow melted away”
• 1928: ----- April 1, “Weather warm and dry. Ground for the most part free from frost.” April 5, “Snowed all day. Ground covered to a depth of a foot. April 13, “Snowing again. A heavy snowfall.” Officially there was 9.5 inches of snow - the second largest single day snowfall for April in Minneapolis weather history, second only to the 9.6 inches in 1923.
• 1929: ----- April 1, “Ground covered with three inches of snow." April 3, “Trillium nivale in bloom.”
• 1930: ----- April 2, “Hepatica beginning to bloom. Trillium nivale in blossom."
• 1931: ----- April 1, “Warm weather. No snow on the ground. Season very backward. Hazel and Alder not yet tasseled out. The long drought and lack of snow have probably caused the backwardness.” April 22, “Three days of cold and showers. Ice formed last night.”
• 1932: ----- April 1, “Considerable ice and snow in the garden. Season unusually late". April 4, “Snowed all day”.
• 1933: ----- April 1, “The ground is nearly free from snow and ice. March being cold, the season is later than it was last year.”
• 1934: ----- April 1, “Two inches of snow on the ground.” April 5, “paths washed out by heavy rain.”
• 1935: ----- April 1, “Patch of Snow Trillium in bloom. 70 blossoms in 1 patch. Snowing all day, Snow trilliums snowed under.” April 4, “1/2” ice on pond. Snowing all day until 6 inches fell. Every branch and twig beautifully ridged with snow. April 15, “Bitter cold all day, 16 above, 3/4” ice on pond, pail of water frozen solid in office. Snow Trilliums still in bloom. May 1, “Rain turning to snow, Several inches fell breaking down branches and flowers.” May 16, “First warm spring day, many parties thru garden.”
• 1936: ----- April 1, “Cold and deep snow everywhere, several feet deep on paths and 6 inches covering location of snow trilliums.” April 5, “Bitter cold, garden frozen fast,” April 6, “Very cold and snow storm.” April 10, “First warm day, 45 degrees. Many visitors thru.”
• 1937: ----- April 1, “Deep snow and ice in sheltered places. Birds lacking.” April 3, “Heavy snow storm. Garden open all day.”
• 1938: ----- April 1, “Turned very cold after 3 weeks of unusual warm weather, not a trace of ice or snow anywhere. Season advanced about 10 days.”
• 1939: ----- April 1, “Snow Trillium and Skunk Cabbage in full bloom. Not a trace of snow or ice to be found.” April 7, “Snowing and cold. At 4, thousands of Juncos passed thru all singing.” April 17, Heavy wet snow falling followed by gale.” April 18, “Six inches of snow remaining on ground all day. Snow Trilliums keep in bloom in spite of the heavy snow.”
• 1940: ----- April 1, “Deep snow everywhere and nothing up.”
• 1941: ----- April 1, “Patches of snow remain in many areas, altho ground not frozen and moisture soaks into ground.
• 1942: ----- April 2, “ A few snow trilliums in bloom. Weather very warm. No snow or ice anywhere. This has been the mildest winter in at least 25 years. April 15, “Heat of today and yesterday extreme. Everything advancing very quickly.
• 1943: ----- April 5, “Snow Trillium and Hepatica in bloom."
• 1944: ----- April 1, “Six inches snow covering the ground. Nothing up and very cold." April 6, “Each day has been cold. April 2nd the temperature was 14 above in the morning. Pails of water frozen solid in the office." April 12, “First beautiful warm sunny day. Lakes still ice bound in morning but disappearing during the day." April 16, “Ground covered with snow. Sheet of ice on water."
• 1945: ----- March 22, "Snow Trillium in bloom.”
• 1946: ----- March 28, “planted 75 snow trilliums from Mankato."
• 1947: ----- April 1, “Garden still snow and ice bound, no sign of green growth.” April 5 & 6, “ Heavy snow, Impossible to work anywhere." April 14, “Found first snow trilliums in bud." May 1, “Cold and rainy. 23 days in April it rained.”
• 1948: ----- April 1, “Not a trace of snow, altho ice on lakes and ponds. No plant life anywhere." April 6, “Snow Trilliums in fine bloom.”
• 1949: ----- April 1, “opened garden after 10 inch snowfall of 2 days ago. Appearance of midwinter, nothing out." April 10, “First snow trilliums are out, also skunk cabbage in bloom.” April 14, “Heavy snow storm of 9-1/2” of snow, again we are in midwinter. Snow Trilliums buried under." The official tally was 9.3 inches over two days.
• 1950: ----- April 1, “Appearance of mid-winter. Deep snow and ice everywhere, also very cold. Gates still locked. Stove keeps office snug and warm." April 8 & 9 & 10, “More snow, hail, rain and electric storm. Snow melting slowly.” April 18, “First snow trillium in bloom, also Skunk Cabbage.” April 29, “Heavy snow, ground covered with several inches of snow. Many fox sparrows singing."
• 1951: ----- April 3, “Midwinter, snow several feet deep. Parked at foot of hill, hard task to walk up. Climbed over gate. dug out gate as well as office door. Snow knee deep everywhere. Record year of 88+ inches of snow.” April 14, “Skunk Cabbage in bloom. Snow gone from exposed areas, much still remains in lower garden.”
• 1952: ----- April 1, “Snow storm March 22. 15 inches of snow. Several feet deep in garden on the 1st.”
• April 6 to 11, “Still deep snow and cold, chopped out gate on the 9th. First trillium cam out April 14.”
• 1953: ----- April 1 - 4, “Lovely warm weather. Snow trilliums and Hepaticas budding. Snow gone, no frost heave.” April 14, “Thunder storm followed on the 15th by snow, cold and strong wind. Temperature down to 20 until April 20. Snow Trilliums and Hepaticas were in full bloom, froze stiff but came to nicely after thawing out."
• 1954: ----- April 1, “After a warm Feb & Mar and very little snow all winter, the opening day was very cold with a light snowfall, 20º high.” April 12, “First flowers out, Snow Trillium, bloodroot, Hepatica and skunk cabbage.” May 1-2, “Heavy snow storm, covering of several inches. 28º. Few plants frozen."
• 1955: ----- April 1, "Office broken into last week." April 7, “Snow Trillium and Hepatica in bloom, also red maple, skunk cabbage.”
• 1956: ----- April 1, “Snow in Garden 12 to 18” deep. Fresh snowfall of few days ago added to winters accumulation. Looks like deep winter." April 4, “Snow all gone except in sheltered areas after thunderstorm." April 11, “Snow Trillium and Hepaticas in bloom."
• 1957: ----- April 1, “No snow on ground, frost deep. April 18, “Snow trilliums out."
• 1958: ----- April 1, “Ground free of snow, Snow Trilliums are budding."

Events From More Current Times.

• 1962:----April 11, Garden closed due to a blizzard. First time Ken Avery had to close after opening.
• 1970:----Garden opens on time but the Winter had the most days in weather history with 15+ inches of snow on the ground - 43.
• 1975:----April 1, Record low temperature of 9 degrees F. Garden does not open until April 15.
• 1979:----April, Snow and cold. First migrating birds do not show up until April 11. The Winter had the 2nd longest number of days with 15+ inches of snow on the ground - 41 days.
• 1983:----April - 21.8 inches of snow this month, surpassed only by 2018. Garden opens on April 11.
• 1984:----Garden opens on time following the snowiest winter in local history - 98.4 inches.
• 1988:----7.6 inches on snow on April 8 to 9th - 5th largest one day snowfall in April as of 2019.
• 1996:----Coldest Spring in 21 years. Garden opens several days late.
• 1997:----Heavy snow cover, Garden opens April 7.
• 2000:----April first week extremely cold, few Garden visitors. Free cookies on opening day.
• 2001:----Wettest April in local weather history - 7 inches. Garden opens on time.
• 2002:----7.6 inch snowfall on April 1, tying 1988 for the 5th largest single day snowfall in April (as of 2019). Snow and ice on paths. Garden opens April 7.
• 2008:----Garden opens April 18 due to snow and ice.
• 2010:----Garden opens April 1 to record high temperature of 81 degrees F.
• 2011:----Garden opens April 11 due to snow and ice. Two small snowfalls after Garden opens.
• 2012:----Warmest March in history - temps in 70s and 80s many days - advanced Spring season.
• 2013:----Garden opens April 29, second latest opening ever. Ten inches of snow on April 19, four inches on April 22.
• 2014:----April 15, Garden opens after early April snows - 7 inches on April 4/5. The Winter had 22 days with over 15 inches of snow on the ground.
• 2018:----Late March snows, 7.6 inches on April 2 and 3 for the 4th largest single day April snowfall in Minneapolis weather history as of 2019. More heavy snow on 13th, 14th and 15th. 25.2 inches for the month by April 15 - all time record for April. Garden opens May 1 - latest date ever.

---

Back to top of page
Friends Home Page

Spring Photo Page

---

Photo at top of page of Birch Pond from a Kodachrome taken by former curator Martha Crone on April 14, 1949, following that days 9-1/2 inch snowfall.

Photo at bottom of page - Similar view on April 5, 2018 following a 8 inch snowfall on April 2 & 3. Photo G D Bebeau.