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The rain over the last week or two has been welcome and has left the garden refreshed and green. During winter we had a lot of rain here and it meant that there was enough moisture in the soil to get everything off to a good start in early spring. There was lots of blossom on the ornamental cherry and the fruit trees and all the early spring plants flowered well. But recently we have had a dry spell that left growth sparse and plants looking a bit tired.
After a few days of rain, all the plants seem to have bulked up. Everything is greener and bigger. It feels as if I’ve turned my back for a moment and all the spaces in the garden have suddenly filled in. Now I’ll have to start playing referee and cut back some plants that are trying to smother their neighbours.
These Siberian irises have benefitted from the few days of damp weather, which has left them perked up and vibrant. They are growing in a very small ‘bog garden’, created from an old tent groundsheet that retains some moisture in the soil around them…as long as I remember to water it!
When I was much younger, I realised that I had become a keen gardener when I welcomed the rain. Years later, we are dealing with a much hotter and drier climate here. (We are just entering a heatwave this weekend.) Now I know just how precious the rain can be! Of course, that doesn’t stop me from taking pleasure in the opportunity to sit outside and enjoy the plants around me on a warm and sunny day.
Ann Mackay: Inspired by Nature 