Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Perhaps It's Time to Prune?

The weather in metro-Atlanta has been just plain nasty lately, with temps in the mid-to-high 90's every day for what seems like months!  To top it off, every day the weather forecast is for a "30% chance of showers....as long as your house is facing east, painted blue, and a Dutch Colonial"....do I sound bitter?  Seriously, the weather pattern has been so bizarre, the Big House sometimes gets 2 inches of rain in an hour, and at home, we get none (or vice versa).  Fortunately the Big House (where I get paid to make it beautiful) has a great irrigation system; unfortunately the Stepchild Garden does not.  Every time I go outside at home, I am reminded of the Hefty bag commercial, but in this case it's "crispy, crispy, crispy...."

Certain of the plants, however, are delighting in this weather.  Here's a shot of one section of the perennial border at home.  Everything is toast except for Rudbeckia and Verbena bonariensis, which are about waist high!  Those other things are the tops of the Lythrum "Morden's Pink," which really need to be pruned, but they're going to need to wait for a cloudy day.
A little further down the way, here is the arbor that marks the entrance to the garden at home.  The moonvine and New Dawn rose are so out of control at this moment, they are both reaching out to grab unsuspecting children who walk by on the way to the bus stop.  I like my friends, and I want them to visit (no, really, I do.....but in August I really just like the moonvine more......)
                                
Have a fabulous and cool day.......
Posted by at
Labels: , ,

9 comments:

  1. Tom - 7th Street CottageAugust 11, 2010 at 5:06 PM

    I know the feeling. My moonvine is still growing somehow. The lantana at its feet is dead. Go figure. We've got a 45% chance of rain tonight. I'm not counting on it. I'll set the sprinkler out this evening. I know I shouldn't, but they're gonna die if I don't.

    ReplyDelete
  2. DocAugust 11, 2010 at 5:07 PM

    Did I mention we have been sleeping with a quilt on the bed because of the cold nights?? Ain't I a stinker?

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousAugust 11, 2010 at 5:10 PM

    It always amazes me how flowers can still be so beautiful in high heat, when we as humans just want to wilt...

    Steven Anthony
    http://manndish.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  4. cottage garden farmerAugust 11, 2010 at 5:17 PM

    Hi Tim I'm enjoying rudbeckias and verbena bonariensis too, favourites at this time of year, but i don't know what a moonvine is? Looks lovely though.

    ReplyDelete
  5. JimmyAugust 11, 2010 at 5:23 PM

    30% chance of rain really means 70% chance it won't.

    ReplyDelete
  6. cathysrunningAugust 11, 2010 at 11:21 PM

    That's one beautiful vine! It reminds me of a morning glory that we used to have. I had to warn my 90 year old neighbor not to walk too close to it (she was a little slow) or it might just grab a hold of her!

    My first time visiting your blog - very nice!

    ReplyDelete
  7. meemsnycAugust 12, 2010 at 12:48 AM

    We've had already 28 days of 90+ degree weather here in NYC. And so little rain. Tomorrow they say we might get rain, 30% chance. Yeah, right. I moaned about our weather in a recent post. http://nycgardening.blogspot.com/2010/08/you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me.html

    ReplyDelete
  8. GaryAugust 12, 2010 at 2:35 AM

    Hi Tim,
    We have only just had a very little bit of rain here in bournemouth, after months of dry weather.
    I do like the entrance to your own garden!

    ReplyDelete
  9. LesAugust 12, 2010 at 7:27 AM

    It may be erratic, but at least this year Georgia and Alabama have a cease fire on the water war.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)