A Solid Soaking

I'll admit that I was a bit worried that the rain predicted for both this past Saturday and Sunday didn't materialize. I envisioned a day full of irrigation, moving sprinklers and hand watering. Well, the sound of pounding rain and thunder early this morning allowed be to sleep well as we had a good 1" of rain come down and end just as our day started at 7 am. The day did get hot and muggy but this is the weather we've been waiting for to get our tropicals moving along like the 'Blue Angel' gentian sage (Salvia patens) seen directly above. The hummingbirds are going to like this one a lot.

The grounds staff had a full day of tasks and we had an excellent turnout of volunteers for various tasks around the gardens and at the Horticulture Center. We are about 95% planted right now but have some plants yet to install (perennials, shrubs and trees) as we prepare some garden spaces. We always keep some annuals in reserve as "quick filler" in case that need arises (which it typically does...). All the photos in this blog were taken today.

criss-cross lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina 'Vernoniae Cristata') - perennial

'Sweet Black Cherry' sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) - annual

'Golden Jubilee' hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) - tender perennial

'Silver Falls' Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum) - perennial

'Blazin' Lime' bloodleaf (Iresine hybrida) - annual

Our volunteers had a super day out in the gardens and worked around the muddy areas as needed. Above are Lloyd (look to the left where Lloyd is skillfully balancing a spade) and Ron R. to the right. These guys also helped with some tent set-up later in the morning. Directly below are Dick H. and Dick P. (driving). The guys had a big digging project (see further below, third photo down) in the Nancy Yahr Memorial Children's Garden this morning. Tomorrow we'll have a concrete ring installed around the new sitting wall/fountain. Kathy (second photo down) did an excellent job weeding in the reception garden which is starting to get another decent layer of carpet weeds. Taylor was in for some sweeping and then planting in the gazebo garden. Ed was out skimming up paths and adding new gravel. Dr. Gredler did his mowing rounds this morning and Maury moved between multiple tasks. Marcia and Mirjam were working in the English cottage garden. Gary had labels to work on but also came out to help with the tent set-up. Ron Y., Vern, Jim and Bobby K. had myriad obelisks to work on inside. We also saw Art (giving a cart tour), Janet M., Lisa I. (daylily chat) and many others today. Our Horticulture Therapy Committee also met this afternoon to chat about our August 11th event, Gardening as Therapy. It was another excellent day with great contributions from so many helping hands.

The grounds staff stayed out of trouble (kind of like these guys above that fell in to a supervision mode during tent set up...). The tent set-up is for our Rhythm & Blooms musical event this Wednesday evening (check out our website!). Cindy helped unpack materials from the Home Garden Tour which had excellent attendance near the 500 mark! Cindy also worked on weeding and tidying throughout the Smelly Garden theme in the Nancy Yahr Memorial Children's Garden after finishing more planting. Larry checked over water features and had some major irrigation lines to reconfigure and set in place. He also diced up a large cottonwood (Populus deltoides) branch that must have fallen during the storm. Terry and Big John worked on repairing path washouts which are consistent with any degree of rainfall, particularly the fast and heavy rains! Both guys had other duties as well. I was able to place plants for installation, tour the gardens and get some closure with the Home Garden Tour.