Another Major Cold Rain

This year has just not really warmed up yet.  And we have had two periods of dry weather, lasting too long, and then two periods of cold rain, excessive rain.  Today is the third day of rainy weather, with temps failing to get out of the 50's.  So far the gauge near the pond says 2 1/2 inches.  Out at the compost, the older gauge says only 2 inches.  either way, that's a good rain.  The weeds are growing well, but so are all of the newly planted annuals.  I finished planting everything late last week, so now it is all about hoping that it matures nicely. 

The Cannas are coming slowly, but there  are new shoots every couple of days.  I think they will survive at least, and I hope they become dramatic as usual.  This year I didn't plant them inside and get the growing before transplanting outside.  It is scary, given that each plant of the beautiful orange striped variety I have cost about $20 if I had to replace them.  Now, I only bought one.  And now I must have 10 or 15 of them.  But still, I would hate to go backwards.  The ti ny shoots are poking up from the planter south of the deck, and from the bed below there are shoots of my older, larger, red flowered green leaved variety.  We put the extra rhizomes in a couple of places around the yard, and if any of them survive I will be thrilled.  But the ones around the deck I am counting upon.

There is one water lily flower that has been blooming for almost a week, and at least three more that I can see just below the surface.  The tadpoles have slowed down, it is just too cold!  Everything that was in full glory last Friday is now sort of drooping, because the rain has weighed it down.  The Bridal Wreath will likely not come back to fu ll beauty 'til next spring.  The alliums are all hanging down to the ground.  The Iris's are blooming, but wet and hard to see.

But all in all, the rain is, as usual, good.  We did need to get everything firmed into its place

Early June

It is interesting that no matter what the weather has been like, warm, cool, dry, wet, certain plants just always arrive at the same place at the same time.  Irises bloom in the first few days of June, maybe half a week variation.  The Bridal Wreath Spirea always comes into full bloom in June.  A little sign of blossoms opening in late May, but full glory on June 1st.  There are so many things in glorious bloom now it is hard to spotlight anything.  And I'm out in the garden so much I don't have much time to write in the blog.  But that's OK. 

 

This is the time of year when Bill's insistence on keeping the Columbine is hard to refute.  I know that in a couple of weeks I will want to remove them, and I will cut them back to the ground.  But this year they are quite lovely, and I must be sure that some survive.  The alliums are in full bloom, but once the blooms start the leaves begin to yellow, and they are so large that they detract from the surroundings.  I spent some time today cutting them back and leaving the flower stalks, which may mean that they don't do as well next year, but I can live with that. 

 

The newly expanded pond is doing very well.  The water lily has taken over almost the entire surface and the first bloom is at the surface and ready to open.  The Bufo americanus (American toads) that mated earlier and laid eggs everywhere have disappeared, but here are thousands of tadpoles swimming purposefully here and there everywhere.  Side plantings are doing well also, and I think it will be nice all year.