Talk about bad timing.

The Azalea Trail — a Houston institution — continues this weekend. But the unusually cold and rainy weather has delayed the blooming cycle, so there are precious few azaleas in glorious color.

Just a few azaleas were starting to bloom when we toured the gardens at Bayou Bend on Friday, the first day of the tour. "We can't control Mother Nature," a River Oaks Garden Club member explained.

But she pointed out that other trees and bushes — tulips, begonias, pink magnolias, dogwoods and pear trees — were blooming and that flowers filled the inside of homes on the tour.

Bart Brechter, curator of the Bayou Bend Gardens, said that such annuals as pansies are also adding a touch of color to the gardens. With the forecast for a sunny weekend, he predicted more azaleas will be blooming by Sunday.

While this is the most challenging Houston winter he has experienced from a gardening standpoint, Brechter preferred to look on the positive side. Once the azaleas bloom, the season will last longer. "It's a big positive for the homeowner," he said.

And, he added, "It's not such a disappointment to see other aspects of the garden that you don't normally see because of the azaleas."

Indeed, one Bayou Bend docent remarked to a colleague, "The Japanese magnolias are more beautiful than they've ever been here. They have no competition."