I’m (more than) a little overdue on this one, but March’s garden is finally finished and ready to share.

March’s temperatures ranged from 25.2º to 91.4º in Burke. Yes, you read that right. March. The biggest swing came on March 12, with a 46.8º shift in a single day. And honestly, that tracks.

It was 90º on March 11 and still warm when I left for the office the next morning. By midmorning, we had torrential downpours, strong winds, and occasional hail. Shortly after noon, it started snowing. A few hours later, every bit of snow that had stuck to the trees, grass, and cars was gone. It was one of the wildest 24-hour stretches of weather I’ve ever experienced.

Visually, that chaos shows up in the stitching. There’s far more orange and red than I ever expected to see in March, especially with a good amount of purple and blue still mixed in. It’s a strange palette for early spring, but also a very accurate reflection of the month.

This month’s flowers tested me in just about every way possible. It’s a good thing no one except me knows exactly how the pattern is supposed to look, because I definitely took a few liberties along the way. Let’s call them “creative adjustments.”

That said, I do love the little ladybug and the wide range of colors that came out of it. Even when it felt chaotic, it still came together into something I enjoy looking at.

And I am very much looking forward to April, which promises a far more straightforward pattern and an abundance of tulips.

My biggest lesson this month was simple. No matter how frustrated I get, I need to try very hard not to fall behind. Once I do, catching up becomes a truly herculean task.