After the Rain June 3, 2013

 

It's June! And I'm not sure how we got here. We've had no rain in April, a lot of rain in mid to late May, and a heat wave at the end of May. But today the rains that ended the heat wave are clearing out. Behind this weather is more June-like weather. The garden did nothing during the drought, then was deluged with rain and finally, heat drenched.  It's a wonder anything survived this torture, but there it is--doing its thing!

 

Lady's Mantle

Hosta

 

The Lady's Mantle and the Hosta leaves display the rain drops like diamonds --or ice!

 

'Miss Kim' Dwarf Korean Lilac

 

This dwarf lilac bloomed prolifically for the first time this year. It was planted five years ago. Truly worth the wait as the air was sweetly scented and the blooms so fluffy and full.

 

Old-fashioned Bearded Iris

Siberian Iris

 

The irises were standing tall after the rain. The purple hue of the Siberian Iris makes the old-fashioned bearded iris pale in comparison.  The old-fashioned iris has been in bloom longer and probably paled during the heat wave as it is near the air conditioning unit and faces south.

 

False Indigo

The False Indigo sprawls after a rain as the blooms fade to make way for the black seed cases that form later. I'll need to tie it up next time I work in the garden to keep it upright and contained in its corner by the deck post.

 

Peony

Poppy

 

The peonies and the poppies haven't bloomed yet. The peonies have a floppy habit and I'll need to prop them up sooner, rather than later.  The blooms may open as early as tomorrow with the recent rains over and cooler, sunny days expected the rest of the week.  The poppy fuzz still holds a few raindrops but is upright. I covered the buds with netting as deer are eating the catmint or Nepeta surrounding it.  Deer are not supposed to eat catmint!

 

Knock Out Tree Rose

 

New Guinea Impatiens and Coleus

 

There is some warmer color in the garden at the moment.  The red of the Knock Out tree rose near the garden bench and the bright  pink of an impatiens near the statue of a fairy reading under the deck.

 



 

It's been a slow start with some extreme spring weather, but, as usual, Mother Nature endures and the garden emerges almost on its own by June.