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Category: Summer 2012 | Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 2:34 pm

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This summer has presented unwelcome challenges for me in my gardens at home, as well as my work in landscaping.
We are experiencing a drought now. It is very,very dry. Add to that, record heat and it's not a pretty picture for growing plants.
Last week, our city imposed mandatory watering restrictions to conserve our ground water.
I have been doing my best to keep things alive, and I'm glad I have my big trees to provide shade. For a time, when the temps rose into the 100°s, I carted a lot of my container flowers underneath the trees to keep them from getting fried!
The temperatures have subsided, highs are in the upper 80s. More of our normal highs. What is not normal is the rainfall, of which there has been almost none since June 23!!!
I'm trying to keep a positive outlook. It surely will rain, won't it??
This morning, I strolled with my camera to appreciate the few flowers I do have blooming. So many of my plants have survived, but they "shut down" and aren't putting out flowers. I hope with cooler weather, I will begin to see more blooms.here is a quick sample of my bloomers.


good old Vinca ( photo / image / picture from Kay's Garden )






Zinnias ( photo / image / picture from Kay's Garden )






Morning Glory blooms this a.m. ( photo / image / picture from Kay's Garden )






Morning Glory ( photo / image / picture from Kay's Garden )






Hosta and Impatiens ( photo / image / picture from Kay's Garden )






Zinnias ( photo / image / picture from Kay's Garden )






Four O'Clocks ( photo / image / picture from Kay's Garden )






Shady spot ( photo / image / picture from Kay's Garden )






Blue containers ( photo / image / picture from Kay's Garden )






Alive, but not happy ( photo / image / picture from Kay's Garden )






hanging basket ( photo / image / picture from Kay's Garden )






container gardens 08/2012 ( photo / image / picture from Kay's Garden )






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Cayuga Morning wrote on Tue Aug 14, 2012 3:47 pm:

Hi Kay,
So Nebraska has been hard hit by the drought!? I do so hope you all get some rain soon. Good thing you had the foresight to plant trees for shade.

Your flowers are very pretty though, despite the drought. Good luck!

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sewNsow wrote on Thu Aug 16, 2012 1:28 pm:

Hi Kay,Hope you are getting rain today. We ,in Iowa are in the same boat as you. Most of the state is in severe drought. The heat has been terrible,too.Like you,I moved a lot of my containers to partial shade. Seemed to have worked. I noticed plants that used to thrive in morning shade were not happy since the morning sun got so brutal.I think we are going to have to modify our gardening. I pray this summer is just a fluke & not a preview of coming attractions!It started to rain here at 4AM. I just went out hoping gauge would say 1.5 ins.(it seemed like it should) but alas not even an inch,but it was slow so should soak in. Maybe we will get a little more now that the pattern is broken.Anyhoo,I'm tickled pink with what we got. No dragging hose today.
Oh,your flowers look pretty in spite of weather.
sewNsow Doris,Iowa

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Kay wrote on Thu Aug 16, 2012 9:18 pm:

Glad you had some rain there Doris. None here... but it cooled off. Yesterday was 98°, today the high has been 70°! Nice!

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gkwilsongardens wrote on Thu Oct 25, 2012 9:54 am:

If you need rain the place to come is Glossop England it never stops raining day in day outand this year has been the worst ever, what a contrast!!!!. I hope you get some rain soon but we would dearly love some sun in exchange!!

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