Tuesday, June 17, 2014

After the storm(s)

We're having a week of hot and humid with strong storms possible every afternoon. We had a big one late afternoon yesterday, and remain on schedule for one this evening, tomorrow, the next day....  The old heat and humidity of the day being sucked up into a dandy evening storm. It seems our little camper will have more drama than that on stage.

Last year's plants overwintered beautifully, and look fine. Of course I've been taking pictures. Since I cannot remember more than a few of the names I've been told, I haven't put them up. Like this one, gorgeous deep blue flowers on a long stalk.


I did score a new hanging basket, for a pittance. I'm thinking it was left over from last year, hanging way high in the greenhouse. Now it's closing in on the end of this year's season and it was still way high in the greenhouse. Took a ladder to get it down.



I love everything about it except the stupid white basket. But, that's what makes me think it may have started life as one of last year's cute little baskets.



Then the rains came yesterday. The fuscia and friends came through unscathed. So did the gardenias (I think that's right).




But the tall and  handsome blue fellow took a direct hit, along with some of its friends.


Recovering today, however.


I remembered, this plant's name is lupine, and the butterflies and bumble bees soon will be around. If we still have any. I put it in for good measure to show I'm not totally hopeless.


And, Piggy's new little pot of impatiens had a thorough face wash, too.

28 comments:

  1. So lovely; flowers just make me smile... especially the scented ones. The peachy-coloured flower looks like a begonia to me. =)
    We're sharing the hot and humid weather with you, sorry!

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  2. Loving your garden - and would agree that your gardenia looks like a begonia. Which I love.

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  3. I love the look of flowers after rain. I wish I could remember the names,too. Even when I do, they often turn out to be the wrong names! :)

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  4. My garden goes wild when it hot and we have a storm in the afternoon, yours looks like it enjoys it too.
    Merle..............

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  5. I read the title, and thought about the tornadoes that ripped through Nebraska today....my little bit of snow, even at the time of year, is no comparison to those towns.
    Your flowers are nice.

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    1. I thought about the title a couple of times. I've lived through two tornadoes in my life, one in my basement and one in my car, running parallel in a pitch black night. No idea what I had done until it was over, tearing up some businesses a mile away. They're awful; there is no preparation but preparedness. This only is NE Ohio, not tornado alley, but we live with two weather alert systems in the house. I am heartsick for the Midwest and those folks in the way last night.

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  6. I like the hanging basket and all the other plants; the purple first one was so vibrant of a color!

    betty

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  7. The flower names are not as important as their beauty.

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  8. I thought that blue looked like one of the Lupins. At first I thought a sage, like mexican sage, but the flowers aren't quite right for that, then I saw the last photo of it and Lupin sprang to mind.
    I like the big russell lupins I see in gardens out here.
    I hope the storm doesn't do too much garden damage.

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  9. beautiful flowers, but I don't think the blue is a lupin, leaves aren't right, probably a salvia.

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    1. Linda, you're right, a salvia. I made a mistake thinking it was a lupin, they both have flowers that grow in spikes.

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  10. Glad all the damage you sustained was a bent plant or two (or three). Here's hoping the rest of the season passes just as safely for you.

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  11. They have been predicting storms every day in these parts, but so far, we have been lucky and they have missed us. However, tonight they are calling for "violent" weather, and it is so hot, thaI fear this might happen.

    I used to not only know the names of many plants but also their Latin designations, now I just call them all by their colors.

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  12. I don't mind not knowing their names ..as long as they are beautiful.
    Jane x

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  13. Dear Joanne, thank you once again for these lovely photographs of your perennials and annuals. Your yard must be so lovely.

    I find myself feeling somewhat apologetic about not reading more of your postings. I'm aware that you post almost every day and that I come here just once a week. I hope you don't feel as if I'm ignoring you. The thing is that I try to work on my writing of a memoir or novel each day and also write query letters to agents to see if any of them might be interested in representing my writing.

    And so I read blogs only three times a week and during that time I visit each of the 70 blogs I follow only once. But when I do read your postings, I always find myself wondering about your life with your grandchildren and your great, good, common sense. Peace.

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    1. Thank you, Dee. I know what you're up too, what you're doing. You're a busy person. It's a delight to hear from you any time.

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    2. Dear Joanne, thanks for being so understanding. Peace.

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  14. Your fuschia's are so beautiful!! I remember my grandmother growing these in pots and plucking off the little ballerina's for me. These flower pictures also make me miss my pretty garden back in Portland. So glad I can live vicariously through yours!

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  15. I can kill a hanging basket just by looking at it Joanne!

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  16. We need a good thunderstorm to clear the humidity here .... too hot - too hot !!!

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  17. Hari OM
    I always marvel how the colours seem so much brighter after a rain. Storms must surely make them into neon lights... YAM xx

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  18. You have quite a colorful garden underway around your home. I'm sure the rains help -- although the big storms can be hard on some of your plants. But I found the rains made weeding a lot easier. -- barbara

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  19. We had the same storm. It was a welcome downpour as it was getting dry.

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  20. I was going to say that wasn't a gardenia but many have already done so. All that effort has borne fruit, or rather flowers. so pretty.

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  21. Such pretty flowers! Lucky you!

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  22. love love love seeing your gorgeous flowers---you know i was beginning to wonder if my gardenia was ever going to bloom but yesterday it did!

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  23. They are such beautiful flowers. I'm so glad they're recovering.

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