"In winter the depth of the snow-fall affords much prized protection for the gardens are covered with a fleecy blanket of 4 to 5 feet -- in some years much more -- and should we have the good fortune of an early heavy fall, this is before the frost has penetrated deeply into the grounds, anxiety in regard to winter-kill is largely relieved, even though there may be many days of 10 to 20 degrees below zero with occasional dips still lower." Elsie Reford, "A Lily Garden in the Lower St. Lawrence Valley", 1949