Ahhhh.....The Garden Sighs With Relief

How wonderful it was to hear the rain coming down on the garden last night.  This morning brought happy scenes to view.  The Perennial Peanut and Pink Guara have both  weathered drought conditions well and have bloomed in spite of being dry.  Even drought tolerant plants appreciate a little rain though and I think they looked just a little lovelier with the moisture. 

A native groundcover that is starting to spread beneath the oak is Ruellia caroliniensis.  More blooms greeted me this morning after the rain than in the last month.  This is the first year for them in my garden.  They seemed to go dormant after December until about February.  Since this was a mild winter, I'm wondering how they'll do long term.  I was very happy to see them reappear and to find some seedlings along with the original plants. There is a lot of bare ground left for them to cover.

Coming around a curve in the path, I noticed that the Pinecone Gingers are looking better with some hydration.  All the gingers have been suffering in the drought but they have held on and I'm hoping for lots of blooms once the rains begin.  The ground orchid, Epidendrum ibaguense, is stretching toward the sun in its mostly shady location.  It has grown more stems and I think I might move a few sprigs to a little sunnier spot. 


I am so thankful for this rain event as it has renewed and refreshed a garden that was getting quite crispy around the edges.  

Late July

My Garden Path is being encroached upon by some very boisterous plants.  The rainfall we received this month  has provided the garden with just what it has been needing to fuel growth.

Some areas have gotten out of hand but trimming and tidying will have to wait until there is at least a little respite from the oppressive heat and humidity.  In the meantime, I'm enjoying the jungle look.  I'm always amazed that the bareness of winter is transformed into the fullness of summer in the garden.

It's important to get out and see just what is going on along the Path.  Even if it is hot, a morning or evening stroll is a must.  If  I hadn't been out checking the garden,  I would have missed this sulphur butterfly emerging from its chrysalis.

Gingers and bananas are leaning over the pathway and reminding me that I really would like to move them to the side a little more.  It's easy to forget to move them after they go dormant for the winter, but that's the easiest time to do so.

This area is full of foliage from summer-loving coleus, gingers, caladiums and the huge leaves of rootbeer plant.  In the winter the liriope, leatherleaf fern, mondo grass, beautyberry, and sanseveria will keep things from being completely bare.

The bog garden is still not boggy, but it sure is happy with the regular rainfall we've been having.  I actually prefer not having standing water but I like having plants in this area that can take it if it comes.

The shady areas of my garden, under the canopy of the oaks, are certainly cooler than the areas with full sun, but it is still awfully hot out there.  This is the time of year I enjoy the view from the back porch while sitting beneath the ceiling fans.  

After April Showers

Looking across the new oak circle bed toward the sunny back fence bed

We had a nice rain the other afternoon.  The rain gauge only registered .2 of an inch, but it was enough to make the garden quite happy.


Looking down the hill from the rose garden toward the shady tropical corner

All the leaves and flowers looked so vibrant after the rain cleared.  The sunlight was still diffused by cloud cover and for a short time the shadows were minimal.


Front view of the oak circle bed

The newly sprouted caladiums seemed to unfurl their leaves while I was watching.  It was a wonderful sight.   These bulbs were newly planted in February and were the last to show themselves above ground. 

Looking across the back of the oak circle toward the shady tropical corner

The gingers are an important component to the shade garden and are much appreciated when they return after their winter nap underground.  Not just the ginger leaves, but all the leaves look plumper after the rain.



Front of the camellia bed under my bedroom window

It is so amazing to see how much growth has occurred just this last month.  The rain was a welcome but rare event for the typically dry month of April.  Even such a small amount of rain is greatly appreciated by both the garden and the gardener.

A Garden Refreshed

Last night a gentle, long-lasting rain fell.  This morning a refreshed, revived garden greeted me.  When the rain falls gently, soaking into the ground the plants are able to enjoy the benefits of the much needed water.

There was no soil erosion or standing puddles to put stress on the root systems of the growing garden greenery.  Foliage shows up so much clearer after a rain.  All the subtle shades of green standout and shine.

All foliage isn't green though. 

Purples and reds pop out from among the verdant leafiness.

Some of the bromeliads are putting out new life while others are just beginning to bloom. 

Last night's rain collected in a reflective pool within the cup of this bromeliad.  Bright fuschia colors the inner leaves indicating the bloom that can't be seen inside the watery center.  Soon there will be new pups growing beside this mother plant.

The wetness of the leaves brings such contrast to the shades of green and the purple and yellow.  This shady corner seems dark at times, but this morning it is full of color. 

The variegated leaves with red shooting through them is one of my favorite combos of color. 

There is nothing quite like a well-watered garden. 

When It Rains....It Pours!

Obviously I need a bigger rain gauge.

Four inches of rain fell on My Garden Path between 2PM Sunday and 11AM Monday. 

The back yard is very low and has always held water at the bottom of the slope.  An attempt to make this area into a bog garden was begun last summer. 

Sedge, Cyperus involucratus, Papyrus, Cyperus papyrus, and Soft Rush, Juncus effusus, were planted here to help keep the soil in place.  A Crinum americanum was also planted in anticipation of flooding.  The water stands here for as long as 3-5 days and then will disappear.  Definitely a problem area.  This is the earliest flooding ever experienced for the bog.  Usually it is mid-June after repeated rains that the water stands like this.  The water table must be very high already for this one rain event to cause such a big puddle.

The Leather Leaf Fern, Rumohra adiantiformis, loved getting the rain and began putting up new fiddleheads.

The Resurrection Fern, Polypodium polypodioides, is showing it's loveliness on several of the oaks since the significant rainfall. 

I can almost hear the mosquitoes buzzing.....