Interesting When Wet , Photos by Amy

This Mammoth Pink Chrysanthemum looks fresh as a daisy!

Asparagus Berries hold on to those water droplets.

The end of the pink poppies and the beginning flowering 'Autumn Joy' sedum are a sure sign of fall.

Our new great  lobelia flowers are a beautiful shade of blue except for the plant that turned out to be white.

The red hibiscus may be blown over, but it still blooms on.

'Stardust' chrysanthemum's fluted petals hold many water droplets.

 A fossil on top of the wall shines neatly when wet.

Could be lichens or perhaps some fungus, but this stone is almost completely covered with growth.

No wet garden post is complete without a picture of lady's mantle.

A bumblebee takes advantage of the lull in the rain to visit mullein flowers.  It's good Amy went out to visit the garden when she did. We are back to rain again.

Last 2011 Lily

Life here has been difficult for this fragrant heirloom lily, L. speciosum rubrum.  Purchased in the fall of 2008, it has twice been frozen to the ground just after it emerged.  Promising bright green early growth was turned slippery brown by late hard freezes. Later in the summer a single short green leaf nourished each bulb.  We had given them up as lost expecting to see nothing from them this year.

Of the five bulbs purchased, three made an appearance this year.  One withered to brown early never showing even a hint of bud.  The remaining two hung on producing three flowers between them.  In order to improve their survival chances, these bulbs will be potted up and moved to a protected garden location for the winter.  By moving all of the newly potted lily bulbs to a single place, they can all be protected from late spring cold with a single tarp.  Pulling the pots from the ground and moving them into the basement is a workable option if severe cold threatens.  Preparing the lily house is near the top of the list of projects requiring immediate attention.