Eastern Canada in May or Sept?
 

Hi-
Planning a cruise either end of May, or 3rd week Sept. to Montreal, Quebec City, Halifax,
Sydney, and PEI. My sister says the flowers won't be in bloom at end of May. I looked up temperature averages. Will flowers be in bloom then? Will trees be green end of May? As for 25th Sept. on, will trees be brown by then? Thanks!

Has your sister actually been in any of these places at the end of May? Trees will be in leaf and flowers will be in bloom. Which flowers are blooming will depend on the area, but in Montreal, for example, the tulips and other spring bulbs should be finished by then and have given way to early summer blossoms. Lilacs will be in bloom at that time.

In the fall, the leaves don't turn just brown, but red, orange and gold. In Montreal and Quebec, the fall colours should be started to reach their height, while I understand, although not from personal experience, that the change is a few weeks later in the Maritimes.

She lived in Connecticut years ago, and was thinking she planted flowers REALLY late, so assumed Montreal & Quebec City would be even later.
Sounds like we can win either month!
(I thought the leaves would have already peaked by end of Sept.)
Thanks,
Linda

April showers bring May flowers.

I was thinking about this the other day, recognizing that it applies where I am, but not in lots of other places.

However, Montreal and Quebec City and Halifax have flowers in May -- it just depends on the flowers. A crocus, and more of them (what's the plural?) and tulips and daffodils and more. No tomatoes, though.

About September; depends on the particular weather of a particular year, but there should be lots of nice colored leaves near the end of September.

I'd go in the apring, just because that's sooner that I'd get to enjoy the cruise, and I might see some icebergs.

Montreal in the spring is a pretty nice place to be. I used to live there. Halifax and QC are OK too, of course.

BAK

You're kidding about the icebergs, right?????

Linda, just to orient you to Nova Scotia weather in May, we tend to be a bit behind Ontario, and our springs tend to be a bit cooler and wetter. As a reference point, our forsythia (I may have just spelled that incorrectly) blooms in late May and my lawn gets its first haircut on our May long-weekend, which is usually around the 24th. You may run into beautiful weather at that time, but I tend to think of May in NS as still a bit cool and breezy.

There's a great deal to be said for late September in the Maritimes. You will find lots of sunshine, warm days (high teens, low twenties C), and cool evenings. You need not worry about the trees; in fact, the third week of September is still a bit early for the best fall foliage. (I think Laverendrye is right--our foliage turns a bit later than "Upper Canada.") All in all, I prefer fall.

Icebergs in the spring? I saw many off Newfoundland when I lived there in the 70s, but I don't think there is much chance of seeing icebergs along the coast of NS or in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which I assume is the route your ship will follow. Not absolutely sure, though.

Anselm

I forgot to mention ... you can also get an idea of what the spring is like by when people plant their annuals outside. The May long weekend is usually the earliest date anyone will try here in NS. My wife and I plant ours in the first week of June, and sometimes a bit later.

Anselm

Thanks to all!
Linda