Thursday, June 21, 2012

The Heat Wave

It's awfully hot for June. It's also very, very dry. According to the paper, the drought in Columbus is mild compared to the rest of the state. That's hard to believe! We did have a storm last week, and received 3/4 inch of rain here in my town. While it was a lovely thing, it was hardly enough. The garden has mostly thrown up it's hands in surrender. The first flush of roses is over, and there are only random blossoms. Here are a few of those last blossoms, for now anyway.
Don Juan climber
 Tahitian Sunset
Zepherine Drouhin
Oranges and Lemons
In their place are daylily blooms,
 Little Grapette
Pandora's Box
various coneflowers,
 Coconut Lime
Ruby Star
Pow Wow Wildberry
and the bee balms.
 Monarda Cambridge Scarlet
Monarda Grand Parade
Now the butterfly bushes don't mind the heat and drought. Although I must admit that the bicolor blossoms always droop in the mid day sun, but they perk up later.
 Bi Color Buddliea
Unknown Buddliea
I've got a few other flower friends who don't mind the heat. The various hyssops don't even blink. This first one, I started from seed last year. A real triumph for me.
Sunset Hyssop
 Golden Jubilee
Anise hyssop
And this Gay Butterflies milkweed I started from seed last year actually has a few flowers on it! I'm always excited when I have good results from seed.
 
 Now this one is a new one on me. So far, so good. The blooms seem to last a long time, and they are unfazed by the heat and dry weather. It's called Lysmachia Beaujolais.
The creeping thyme growing as a ground cover through my arbor never complains about the heat either. And you can walk right on it!
 The hot and dry weather doesn't seem to be keeping the butterflies away. They aren't bothered one bit!
Red Admiral
Swallowtail
I guess I'd better go drag the hose around the yard like I do every day. I love summer, but some rain would sure be nice!

8 comments:

  1. Your blooms are beautiful despite the heat and the dry weather. Loved your Roses and Daylilies.

    It's great to hear you did have a little bit of rain to break the dry spell. I would love to know what 'drought' means over there. Here in Australia, if you had weeks and weeks of no rain and then had a storm and rain last week, it would not be classed as a period of drought. It would be more likely to be called a dry period.

    Droughts here are something entirely more drastic, where we go without rain for years. It's interesting coming to terms with the different meanings of words like 'drought'.

    My particular corner of Oz experiences months of dry weather, so I know just how wonderful it is when the rain finally comes. Fingers crossed you get more rain very soon.

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  2. Ditto on everything! Lack of rain. Roses finished with first round. Hose dragging. We share many of the same plants in our gardens; yours are just a few days ahead ours here. Today it will be 99+, so I will water early, then head to the basement where it is cool and sew. Happy Summer.

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  3. Sorry you are having a drought. Your flowers sure are pretty. I bought some coneflowers this morning and thought, "This looks like what Robin would have in her garden!" I had to smile when I saw a picture of them here!

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  4. We are SO dry here too. No real moisture since FEB!!! Crazy. Maybe you've heard about the big fires in our state because of it? Very scary. I hope we all get some rain soon. Love 'Tahitian Sunset' Rose ~ gorgeous color combo. You have such a nice variety of coneflowers ~ I really need to add a few new ones to my garden. Stay cool!

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  5. Are we baked yet? Man it has been a hot one. Your garden looks like it is enjoying the heat Robin. Your Butterfly bushes are so pretty and the Butterflies are loving them. I usually have a lot of butterflies when my Lantana blooms but I have saw so few this year so far. Your Oranges and Lemons rose is just so pretty. By the way I probably had the name backwards on my posting of it. LOL! I have been thinking of getting a Zepherine Drouhin rose. Does your repeat bloom and is it pretty disease resistant? Have a lovely weekend with the family.

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  6. Are we baked yet? Man it has been a hot one. Your garden looks like it is enjoying the heat Robin. Your Butterfly bushes are so pretty and the Butterflies are loving them. I usually have a lot of butterflies when my Lantana blooms but I have saw so few this year so far. Your Oranges and Lemons rose is just so pretty. By the way I probably had the name backwards on my posting of it. LOL! I have been thinking of getting a Zepherine Drouhin rose. Does your repeat bloom and is it pretty disease resistant? Have a lovely weekend with the family.

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  7. Oh Robin, my poor garden is crying out for warmth and sunshine. It is like autumn here in Holland...colder temperatures (still wearing sweaters) and wind and far too much rain.

    Your garden is looking beautiful even in the heat. Stay cool!

    Hugs from Holland ~
    Heidi

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  8. Love the bee balm and milkweed - I need to add this to my butterfly garden! (IF I have any room, lol!) Same weather here in nothern IL - hot and dry. We haven't had rain for weeks. Everyone's grass looks like straw. :-(

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