Monday, September 28, 2009

Autumn Kinkitis

I don't have the best of the garden to share today, but there are signs of a transition into our kind of fall.  The garden had taken quite a beating the last few weeks between the heat waves and the painters.  And then, surprise, the painters are finished.  Nice little blue and white cottage. And it was so "chilly" outside, I had to wear my bathrobe in the garden this morning to survey the plants.




My tomato is still producing, despite the heat-damaged foliage.



My leafy begonia did not survive the heat. I hope they will produce new leaves from the bulb. I keep watering them.




The path the painters made through my bed to get at the side of the house. It will take some time for this to recover.




My rose bush suffers from heat-melted blossoms and painter sanding dust. I will have to hose off each plant in the garden to give the leaves a chance to breathe again.




One echinacea dried to a crisp by the heat, while its neighbor still blooms. Nature is mysterious. We never know which plant the strong sun will toast and which it will leave to flower.

There is some good news.  Despite the heat some plants have fourished.



Witness my peony rose. Four buds!!




Dragon-Winged Begonia


Rabbit-foot Fern



Staghorn Fern



 Jupiter's Beard



Salvia Chiapensis reblooming!!

If the cool temps remain, even for a week or two, other plants will start to recover, more blooms will appear and my fall garden will flourish.  With every loss comes new life. How happy that the garden shows me this truth in every season.







Now I've got to go to the garden center for a new hose. This one has permanent kinkitis. Who says I haven't been watering!

20 comments:

Tatyana@MySecretGarden said...

Hi Mary! It's an interesting time, between the seasons.Something is quitting and something is flourishing. I think roses feel that it's their last chance and try their best. I also like your ferns. Will try to save some of mine through the winter.

Lisa S. said...

That is the cutest fern. So much character! I used to garden in Tucson so I know what you mean about surviving the heat. Hope your tomatoes are yummy!

Anonymous said...

my tomato plants look even worse, but are also still producing, and if weather stays warm, I looking at probably 1 month more of fresh tomatos... It doesnt seem to bother them if leaves are damaged.

Frances said...

Kinkitis!!! That is the funniest thing ever, I had no idea what you were talking about either. May I suggest the Neverkink? We have a couple of them and they really do not kink. HA
Frances

Teresa said...

Is there anything worse than a kinked hose? especially if you are across the yard from the kink and have to walk all the way back to fix it. Yikes! I have an "unkinkable hose" but it still gets kinks. It's too bad your gardens ahve taken a beating but they will bounce back. They are very forgiving.

Anonymous said...

My unkinkable hose gets kinks, too. What's up with that?!! I do hope your begonia come back -- mine suffered some major trauma but it's on the road to recovery. So I'll cross my fingers for you!

Deborah at Kilbourne Grove said...

I had masons in my garden last year, repairing some of the cracked bricks on my house. They do not look where they place their ladders, trampling plants in their path. It was late in the season, and I was worried for the next year. Everything came up fine and I even found a mortar trowel that had fallen under a shrub.
Hope your plants recover as well.

Chloe m said...

I am sure you garden will flourish after the beating it took. And now you have a new paint job for a backdrop.
I love Jupiter's beard, I can't remember it's other name right now.
Rosey

Dee/reddirtramblings said...

When it's that hot, you just can't water enough. Hang in there. With the begonias, larger pots next year might keep them a bit cooler. I also only grow them in containers on the east side of the house here in very hot Oklahoma. Keep your chin up.~~Dee

inadvertent farmer said...

LOL...never heard of kinkitis before! Kim

Wendy said...

yes, isn't it strange that one plant will die while it's identical twin right next to it will survive??

Unknown said...

My parents had a staghorn when I was a kid, I loved that thing! Tomatoes are amazingly hardy, but sorry for some of your other plants. It's weird my roses are still full of buds but we'll be freezing tonight - poor things.

Noelle Johnson said...

Hello Mary,

I too, will be glad when this heatwave is over. I am looking forward to a cooler weekend. My garden is starting to show signs of recovery with cooler evenings.

James David said...

Very sorry to note the condition of your garden. HOpe they jump back and thrive - but did you mention autumn? So, does this suppose to happen this way?
Very strange to note that tomatoes are hardy in your place but extremely sensitive in my place..

Urban Green said...

Rabbit foot fern is so pretty. I'm waiting to see your peony rose bloom...
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Been away, and therefore the silence. see you around :)

lynn'sgarden said...

You reminded me how pretty the Jupiter's Beard is...I use to have them but they've disappeared! Hope your next hose will stay unkinked...I'm suffering from that right now~in the neck!
Lynn

Jo said...

It's always the same when you have workmen in to do jobs. I don't think any of them can be gardeners otherwise they would be more careful with the plants. Fingers crossed that everything springs back into growth for you.

Joanne said...

Yes I quite agree with every loss comes new life is so apt in a garden.
Nice visiting your blog.

joeltheurbangardener said...

Well, the peony rose sure does look nice! Sorry about your recent casualties.

OF SPRING AND SUMMER said...

I hope your garden will recover now when the cooler weather is coming! Autumn is such a wonderful time of year.