Before The Sky Fell Down

It was rumbling when I headed out for an evening stroll yesterday. It did the same thing the day before and missed us by a mile. Until things started falling, I wasn't going to believe it would rain.

The flashes of light in a not so dark sky were a bit freaky. It was close. But I had a garden to see before things changed and I missed something.

The Dwarf Crested Iris don't bloom forever and each flower really only lasts two days at most.

Magnolia 'Jane' has bloomed far better and much longer than the last hard spring freeze had me thinking was possible. I look forward to 'Jane' becoming more tree like.

The yellow trillium, Trillium luteum, take their sweet time turning yellow.

Some of the Nodding Trilliums don't quite get the flower tucked under the leaves. They would be much showier if they were not so shy about exposing themselves.

The best I can say about this Hakonechloa grass is that it is still alive. I moved it from shade to more sun to see if that would help. Then it promptly got froze back completely its first spring in its new home. This spring it was spared.

The list of plants that have died off on me is quite extensive. When there is no more hope they are just left to decompose.

Some alliums have returned for a second season. On the whole, larger allium bulbs are not the best repeat bloomers.

The Black Jacks are looking fetching. These two really need to find a new home. I have someone in mind who I think should have them. They showed up on my basement patio, that maybe one day I might get around to finishing.

Is that rain? The sky is getting darker and the rumbling has changed to loud, violent, air rattling cracks. But I wanted to find some of the other colors of Jack. Here's green. That green can get so pale it is almost blonde.

Yes it is sprinkling now. Boom!

The Darmera peltata leaves are still filling out. A fully grown clump can have leaves 18 inches in diameter. These are on year two in their new home.

This is the Shredded Umbrella Leaf's, Syneilesis aconitifolia, first spring in the garden. It was fun watching them come up and I was happy to see the clumps have grown larger.

Then the sky broke and came crashing to the ground. It was a torrential down pour that set Culvert Falls to flowing. When the sky does that, it means no internet for you.

Today one of my other relocated trilliums opened. I planted several and they seem to have some kind of distorted growth issues. This one is fat and healthy and looking right. It's hard to get that deep red flower hiding in the shadow of the leaves to show its true color when the light isn't right. It is a most deep red.