This was supposed to be the daylily show, but after twelve inches of rain in 24 hours, the daylilies will need to show off another day. In fact, the entire garden looks bedraggled this morning, but I’m not worried. Once it drains away, all that rain will make the flowers bloom better, and the vegetables taste sweeter.
Although too much of anything is not wonderful (no matter what Mae West said), we were lucky. My garden sits on the side of a hill, and its base is a mix of red sand and clay, predominantly sand. So, my garden will recover nicely. On the other hand, the gravel paths which all slid downhill will take some work. Fortunately, I’m not on a garden tour this year. Other people were not so lucky. Those west of Edmond along the creek had flooding in their very expensive homes, and my dear friend, Sister B.J.’s, pantry for the homeless also flooded. Volunteers are being asked to come on Friday or Saturday at 7:00 a.m. with rubber gloves, bleach and water coolers to clean all of the clothes. The pantry is located one block east of Classen Blvd. on the north side of 4th Street.
This has been quite a year for severe weather in Oklahoma. We had the Christmas Eve blizzard, a massive hailstorm in spring (which mostly missed us), and now a flood. Good grief. So, let’s stop talking weather and instead, speak of flowers.
I know you are going to say the garden looks good, but I promise you, I’m only showing off its best features. It is looking pretty sad. The roses in the next picture were water logged and beaten down, but you can’t see that here.
Behind them all, is this veronica which I think is pretty. I planted it last year, and this spring and summer, it has taken off with no diseases thus far.
After I deadheaded all of the water logged blooms from yesterday, there were some daylilies already open.
H. ‘English Cameo’, one of my first “good” daylilies hiding beneath a protective layer of maiden grass. I thought she made a pretty picture.
I really love this next flower. I bought H. ‘Pink Embrace’ from Clint in my daylily club. It took this daylily awhile to settle in. She is from Louisiana after all (Crochet is the hybridizer), and I believe she likes the heat. She also opens early which is good after yesterday’s devastating rain. However, like many southern belles, she is a bit delicate, so I have her in some shade to prevent afternoon melting.
Here is a shot of the side garden. In it, you can see the hollyhocks have all fallen over. I need to pull them and will do so later today. They were almost finished blooming. Also, the weaker scapes on the UF daylilies made H. ‘Karen’s Curls’ fall over along with ‘Atom’ glads.
I don’t know if you can see the trenching in the paths, but the gravel will need to be shoveled back into place. This is just life in a garden. It’s all about change.
Happy Bloom Day and a big thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who hosts us each month.
That is a lake? I thought it was a field. Wow, you really did get poured on. We got about 4″ of rain right before GBBD. In fact, it was still raining the day of and I was afraid that I wasn’t going to be able to get pictures, but I went out there anyway and managed to get some decent shots. I only showed the good stuff too 😉
First tornadoes, then floods – I hope your summer stays on the calm side of normal.
Lovely arbor and pathways….
Wow, that was a heck of a lot of rain. I could indeed see the trenches in your gravel paths. It’s always kind of depressing when the garden’s looking so good and then Mother Nature slaps it around. I love that ‘Ruby Spider’ daylily. I wish I had daylilies that bloomed all summer but they’ll be mostly over in another week or two. I saw some veronica at the big box recently and wondered how it would do here (not something I’ve seen around here). Maybe I should give it a try!
You were on my mind during all that rain, Dee. Your garden still looks fabulous even with all that w e a t h e r.
In Muskogee we had 2-inches officially but 5-inches in containers standing around our garden.
Your Annabelle looks like she is bowing to Mother Nature and encouraging her to walk through that gate!
Have fun watching everything pop back up as your beds soak up the rainwater and recover with the sun.
Oh, good grief, Dee! I’ve been thinking about you so much the last couple of days, and hoping you are OK. I’m glad you are. Your garden did take a beating, no doubt. But the water on those banks behind you is staying it they should and I’m glad that’s so.
It is always disheartening to see our hard work and vision get rained out. My roses took a huge hit in all the late rain we had but some of them are springing forth again. It looks like you have a lot to look forward to. (Sorry about that gravel. Ugh!) 🙂 Hugs! Kathryn xoxo
It is all about change, isn’t it? I’m sure what you didn’t show us looks sad now, but if we have another summer like last one, all that rain will help a little bit. Love that H. ruby Spider thats-not-a-spider! She’s so vibrant. And your other daylilies are wonderful as well. Hope the gravel shoveling isn’t too bad…hard enough to keep up with the day to day in the garden, much less natural disasters! Happy GBBD.
I am in awe….of the splendor of your gardens…
I have a ‘Ruby Spider’ that just opened up today, too. You’ll have to post about why it isn’t a spider-type daylily so I’ll be “in the know”. And I have mulch to rake back into place after some heavy thunderstorms these last 3 – 4 evenings. We need to dry out for a few days!
I have thought about you the past day or so since OK has been in the news again with all this rain. I am glad to hear that all you have to deal with is a little gravel that needs to be rearranged. What a year this has been. I know you can tidy up and all will be well. Tooo bad we can’t save some of this rain for August.
Still very beautiful.
happy day!
Dee, 12 inches of rain all at once is a shocker! For you to have posted at all today is amazing, and what’s more amazing is how awesome everything looks. Give me some more pictures in a couple of days, ok, after things perk back up? That lower garden looks stunning. Love the snowball viburnum (I think that’s the first pic?)
Disappointing to have too much rain just before bloom day, but you managed a great presentation. Your Daylilies are lovely.
Despite everything your garden looks extremely lovely! Hope things settle down for you soon…but if grasshoppers attack let the chickens out.
Love Pink Embrace. the colors and pattern are wonderful.
We have been lucky too. Tornadoes south of us and flooding but our rain has been constant but not in excessive amounts. We got thru the peony season with no storms which is very unusual.
Looks like the majority of your plants are still more or less upright. My too tall foxgloves hit the mud in the first rain so I just cut them off. No daylilies yet so I don’t need to worry for another week.
Marnie
Well, even with the rain, it is STILL all really pretty!
I happen to really like daylilies–the common ones and the interesting ones. I like their foliage when they’re not blooming, and I like the flowers when they ARE blooming.
I need to get back to the Lily guy near me and get pictures while his lilies are blooming!
I had to smile when you said my “good” daylilies~ I know exactly what you mean. Your daylilies are so lovely~and Pink Embrace does have a complicated eyezone. Ive only just begun to appreciate that quality in a daylily. I also totally understand the effects of a torrential rainfall on the garden! Like you I am thankful it wasn’t worse and my heart goes out to those who lost so much. gail
I see where the water washed your paths and the brown lake. 12 inches. Insane! Be prepared for the weeds that always love the rain too. You still have a lot of lovely flowers showing.
Yep, it looks a bit like an arroyo on the path. I’m sorry your garden is so soggy, but you’re right, it could be so much worse. Your variety of daylilies is wonderful. Someday I’d love to see them in bloom.