February in Seattle

The Dexter Horton Building opened in 1924 on 2nd Avenue in Downtown Seattle.  Like many buildings of this period, it is clad in white terracotta tile.

Helleborus niger 'Ivory Prince' in the Ell Alley Garden.

Helleborus x hybridus in the Ornamental Border at Bradner Gardens Park.

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Euphorbia characias in the Ornamental Border at Bradner Gardens Park.  All photos were taken in February 2014.

February 2014 in Seattle was colder & significantly wetter than normal.  The mean temperature was 41.7F/5.39C.  The normal mean temperture is 43.4F/6.33C.  Total precipitation was 6.11 inches/155.19mm.  Normal precipitation is 3.5 inches/88.9mm.  There was 2.9 inches/73.66mm of snow.  Average snowfall is 1.7 inches/43.18mm.  The highest temperature was 58F/14.44C on 2/28, the lowest 21F/-6.11C on 2/06.  There were 18 days with light rain, 2 days with snow, 4 days with light snow, 19 days with fog (2 with visibility at less than 1/4 mile) 6 cloudy days, 21 partly cloudy days & 1 fair day.  This was quite a turnabout after 4 months of unusually low rainfall.  On 2/18 the Seattle Times reported that the mountain snowpack, which at the end of January was about 50% of normal for that time of year, had increased to about 80%, relieving fears of a summer water shortage.  February 2014 was cold, wet, dark & dreary.

February in Seattle

Kubota Garden February 2013

Garrya issaquahensis (silk-tassel) at the Washington Park Arboretum February 2013

Hamamelis x intermedia (witch-hazel) at High Point February 2013

Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir) in Mt Baker February 2013

February 2013 in Seattle was warmer & much drier than normal. The mean temperature was 44.4F/6.9C. The normal mean temperature is 43.4F/6.3C. The highest temperature was 56F/13.3C, the lowest 34F/1.1C.   Total precipitation was 1.58 inches.  Normal precipitation is 3.5 inches. There were 2 days with rain, 23 days with light rain, 15 days with fog (4 of them with visibility at less than 1/4 mile) 4 days with haze, 23 cloudy days, 5 partly cloudy days & no fair days. However, there were many brief periods of sun.

Crocus, Hepatica (liverwort) miniature Narcissus & Primula (primrose) began to bloom.  Because many of the lightly rainy days had only occasional showers & the temperatures were not very cold, I was able to finish cutting dead branches & perennial stalks, & raking up leaves. My house in Mt Baker went back on the market on February 25 & had 2 offers to buy.  Meanwhile, digging began for the foundation of the new house at Rainier Vista in the Rainier Valley, slightly less than a mile away.

February Garden Pictures

Cyclamen coum February 2012

Euphorbia rigida February 2012

Helleburus x hybridus February 2012

Mahonia mairei February 2010

Stony slope February 2012

February 2012 was slightly colder & wetter than normal.  The mean temperature was 43.2/F/6.2C.  The normal mean temperature is 43.4F/6.3C.  The highest temperature was 61F/16.1C.  The lowest was 28F/-2.2C. Precipitation was 3.63 inches.  Normal precipitation is 3.5 inches. There was only a trace of snow.  There were 19 days with rain, 18 days with fog, 1 day with hail, 17 cloudy days, 9 partly cloudy days & 3 fair days.

February Garden Pictures & Bloom Times

 Erica x darleyensis 'Mary Ellen' February 2011

 

Euphorbia rigida & Yucca filimentosa 'Bright Edge' February 2011

Helleborus lividus February 2011

Helleborus x sternii February 2011

 Tulipa turkestanica & Sedum palmeri February 2011

Below is a list of plants that began to bloom in my garden in Seattle in February 2011. I recorded the date when the 1st flower opened, not when they were in bud. I think this information is helpful in planning your garden. If you have nothing that blooms in February, you can find plants from this list.  Nurseries in Seattle usually sell them when they are in bloom. I have included dates from previous years. Weather conditions probably account for most of the difference in bloom times.  The weather in February 2010 was very different from the weather this year.  It was exceptionally warm.  Many plants bloomed in February that normally bloom in March.  February 2011 started out fairly warm, then became colder, then very cold after a snowfall on the 24th, when temperatures at night were well below freezing.

02-02-11  Crocus sieberi ‘Firefly’  2-06-10, 2-20-09, 2-20-08
02-02-11  Helleborus argutifolius  1-31-10, 2-14-09, 02-10-08
02-02-11  Mahonia mairei  1-20-10, 2-14-09, 1-29-08
02-07-11  Helleborus x sternii  2-04-10, 2-05-09, 2-20-08
02-13-11  Crocus tommasinianus  2-11-10, 2-19-09, 2-20-08
02-17-11  Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’  2-07-10, 2-27-09, 2-28-08
02-24-11  Helleborus lividus  2-14-10, 2-20-08
02-25-11  Azara microphylla