(NECN: Alysha Palumbo - Newton, Mass.) - The start of spring usually brings blooming flowers and warmer weather, but this year winter just doesn't want to let go.
"There's not a whole lot you can do in the garden right now," said Volante Farms owner Steve Volante.
Needham's Volante Farms opens up its greenhouse Thursday, but owner Steve Volante doesn't expect gardeners to be grabbing up perennials and potted plants just yet.
He said, "If the ground's not ready it's going to be kind of slow, but then the good thing is you get all that build up because if nobody's come in for two weeks and then it finally breaks and the ground thaws out and it's a nice 70 degree day, then you get a million people in here, which is great."
Snowy sidewalks and driveways aren't very welcoming for potential homebuyers either.
Condon Realty owner Louise Condon says sales have been excellent, but having to trudge through the snow hasn't been ideal.
Condon said, "We've had to shovel walks, we've asked people to make sure their driveways are clear, we didn't cancel open houses unless it was a very severe storm."
Despite the weather, Condon says they've had eight properties go under agreement in March alone. Buyers are just getting creative.
She said, "A lot of our homeowners have pictures, they have when there were flowers in bloom or when they had the pool open and they put those pictures out and leave them for people to look at."
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But one of the bigger let downs is that high school spring sports like lacrosse, baseball and tennis have had to move indoors.
"We've got a very competitive team that I'm trying to put out on the field and the inability or not knowing when we can get out there and really start executing after we've selected our teams, kind of our game plan, it's difficult," said Needham High School's Girls Varsity Lacrosse Coach Beth O'Brien.
O'Brien says with try-outs underway and games coming up, the best thing she can do is work on conditioning until the snow on the field finally melts.
She said, "You've just got to get creative, you just have to think of some new things to keep them moving."
