The Nature of Things

Days are getting shorter. Just a month ago, at 7:00 in the evening the setting sun would still be above the tops of the tall pine trees that spread across the western horizon prospect from my backyard. Today, by 7:00 the sun will be well behind those trees, just about down to their bases.  Moreover, the sun has started on its long trek to the south for winter. After reaching its northernmost point in the sky several weeks ago, the sun is now several degrees farther south, looking from our planetary perspective. And so the seasons change. There's only a month left in this season, but it is likely the most miserable month for us. The heat and humidity now are just about unbearable for outdoor activities of any extended period. And the plants which must stand out there all day under the broiling sun are looking wilted and tattered, much the worse for wear. A few leaves are already dropping, harbinger of the deluge to come. The bottom line for gardeners is that it is almost impossible ...

The colors of the blossoms of early July in my garden reflect the weather. In shades of red, yellow, orange, and purple, they are hot! The swamp hibiscus 'Texas Star' sets the tone. Which is reflected by the Turk's Cap 'Big Momma.' This plant, which usually blooms twelve months of the year for me, died back to its roots last winter and is only now beginning to bloom once again. The yellow esperanza, aka "yellowbells," always dies back to its roots in winter but comes back strong and blooms all summer and autumn. Its cousin, the mahogany esperanza, is not that well-established yet. It was only planted last year, but it provides sporadic blooms. The Clerodendrum philippinum 'Cashmere Bouquet' provides these bouquet-sized blooms all summer long. Yellow cestrum is also a dependable summer bloomer and a favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies. In several beds around the garden, these old species cannas send up their flame-like blossoms. Some plants, l...

Note: This blog will be wordless for about a week while I am on the road. Meet me back here around the middle of next week and we'll continue the conversation.

Sumer is icumen in, Lhude sing cuccu! Groweþ sed and bloweþ med And springþ þe wde nu, Sing cuccu! - Middle English lyrics of English folk song Summer has come in, Loudly sing, Cuckoo! The seed grows and the meadow blooms And the wood springs anew, Sing, Cuckoo! - Modern English translation of lyrics The calendar may still say it is spring, but when the temperature is in the upper 90s and the humidity is close to the same, I'd say that summer has definitely "come in". For several days now, my area has enjoyed(?) those conditions and there is no doubt in my mind that summer is definitely here. Even the cuckoo agrees. The Yellow-billed Cuckoo has been present here for some weeks now and I hear its quirky calls high in the trees often throughout the day. This is the bird that, as a child, I knew as the "rain crow". This solitary and secretive bird was a well-known visitor to our woods in summer. Its call was said to presage the coming of rain. As farm peopl...