Monday, June 10, 2013

After The Deluge: A Photo Diary

Thanks to Tropical Storm Andrea, the summer rainy season got off to a rousing start in my garden, with more than 10.5 inches of rain in the past seven days!

 In between soakings -- and partly to relieve the forced "cabin fever" of being cooped up -- I strolled through my yard. Taking the time to look at my plants in detail reminded me of  how rainfall amplifies their beauty. Fresh and clean, even the most mundane of plants assumes an aura of newness, a sheen of self-satisfaction. 

Is there anything more lovely than a garden after a rain? 


Magenta passion flower is dripping with happiness...




A simple echevarria shimmers with pearly drops...



























 Perfect oval beads dangle from the tubular flowers of firecracker fern...

 The huge flat fronds of Monstera deliciosa, also known  
  as swiss cheese plant, are dappled with raindrops...


 While this cluster of buds on  
 the agapanthus (Lily of the    
 Nile) looks as though it can't 
 wait to pop open and
 welcome the sun.















 Dainty cutleaf coneflower, a Florida native that fares much better in my landscape than the more common purple variety, stands proudly like a golden sentinel among the orange cuphea (cigarflower) and purple porterweed in my butterfly garden.


 It's summer in Florida, and my plants couldn't be happier. 
 How about yours?
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5 comments:

  1. daisy gJune 10, 2013 at 2:07 PM

    Gorgeous! I've never seen a yellow coneflower! What a great combination of colors in your butterfly garden.

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    Replies
    1. Nanette O'HaraJune 10, 2013 at 2:45 PM

      Daisy, neither had I. I saw this at Florida Native Plants Nursery in Sarasota and bought two this Spring. They are both doing great and I have become a fan! See Craig Heuegel's excellent blog post about this pretty little member of the black-eyed Susan family:
      http://hawthornhillwildflowers.blogspot.com/2009/08/cutleaf-coneflower-rudbeckia-laciniata.html

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  2. AnonymousJune 10, 2013 at 5:05 PM

    Beautiful photos. I'm going to have to search for some of those yellow coneflowers as I have ZERO luck with the purple ones (and I've tried growing them numerous times).

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    Replies
    1. Nanette O'HaraJune 10, 2013 at 8:31 PM

      I'm in the same boat, Elizabeth. They do well for a couple of months and then peter out. But I think the purple coneflower is more of a North Florida plant, so that may explain my lack of success in Tampa Bay. Of course, according to Craig Huegel's blog listed above, the cutleaf coneflower is a North Florida species as well, so go figure! Plants -- can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em!

      Delete
  3. AnonymousJune 11, 2013 at 9:10 AM

    The only way I have had any success with frowning them is in a pot.

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