Getting Crispy

The last rain I recall was a week before the open garden day back in August. At the time I thought, well that's better than nothing. It was rain. It lacked any appreciable substance.

It's getting crispy out there. A lot of the small streams have stopped flowing. I am seeing a lot of wilting. It needs to rain soon, gently to allow time for the cracked ground to absorb it and for longer than a quick shower.

It is time for the asters to bloom and many are having second thoughts. Some are already dead and brown. I imagine the departed were growing in shallow soil on top of a big rock. There's plenty left so no big worries, yet.

I planted a new aster this year, Symphyotrichum oblongifolium, Aromatic Aster. The plan is that it should live long and prosper while setting copious amounts of viable seed to spread itself around the Tall Flower Meadow. Already I am liking the much larger flower size.

I got plenty Goldenrod. It doesn't seem to be affected by the dry at all. The Solidago canadensis in particular is one tough perennial wild flower. It spreads by rhizomes and seed forming thick monocultures.

I keep saying I need to thin that one Goldenrod out before it completely takes over. Time for talk is over. It has to go.

The New England Aster 'Fairegarden' was planted long ago. It kept coming back, but never amounted to much. Finally I am seeing the first signs of self sowing. It is not unusual for a self sown plant to do better than the original planting. They seem to find a location more to their liking.

It is getting crispy, but the resilience of the garden is quite evident.

Three weeks without water and the garden is still Lush, green and packed with color. More blooms continue to arrive by the day. The bloom has started to move into the shaded forest part of the garden.

White Snakeroot, Ageratina altissima, is a big bloomer in the shade along with the Blue Wood Aster.

Joe Pye is beginning the fade. It takes a good long while for all the color to leave. The flower heads will continue to hold their shape adding to the drama of a blooming meadow until winter rips them clean.

I just need rain now. I don't want my aster show stunted. There is a 30% chance from Sunday to Tuesday. Hopefully we will get some. Hopefully all my gardens will get some rain. It is crispy out there. Button, do you see any rain headed this way?

I trust this garden more than many others. It has been through dry before and come out just fine. When survival of the fittest is a requirement for admission, the resilient factor is already built in. In the Lush there is room for loss. The morning fire will light up the meadow no matter and the rains will come again.