Not an onionWe're getting the sort of off-on sustained series of rainstorms we've not gotten in years. Our year's rainfall total (starting October 1st) is now 6.47" (164 mm), which is half our average rainfall for the year. I've been gardening despite the rain.
'Princesse Charlene de Monaco':
Rain quickly ruins rose flowers. I cut and brought some indoors rather than letting them get ruined.
Some brilliant person (must have been a garden blogger!) gave me the idea to use a mop head hydrangea as flower frog. Unfortunately, I don't remember who. Thanks, whoever you are!
A flower frog is a device used to keep flowers in place in arrangements.
Tired, but still useful, and beautifully colored...
My kind of arrangement: easy! 'Princesse Charlene', 'The Poet's Wife', and 'Bolero', all snuggled into a hydrangea flower:
To celebrate the rain.
A far different fragrance: onion seedlings arrived at our local nursery. We went and bought two bunches of about 50 seedlings each, and they are now planted and rained in--the best way to start. One of my Christmas presents was a 10-pack of onion "sets" which are small onions. They are planted next to some of the Stock seedlings, which have grown. Onion seedlings fill in the rest of the bed:
'Candy' seedling onions:
'Yellow Granex' aka 'Maui' aka 'Vidalia' seedlings:
The rest of the 'Yellow Granex':
Somehow a couple of bare root roses ended up coming home with the onions. The quality isn't great--we'll see how they do. 'Francis Meilland' and another 'Princesse Charlene de Monaco':
Rain means weeds, so I also spent several hours pulling them from the weed prone areas--the east and west slopes, and the back gully. Very easy to pull with the soil soft from the rain. Also tossed around some collected rainwater to the driest parts of the garden, because more is in the forecast and the barrels were all full. 'The Poet's Wife':
'Brass Band':
'Bolero':
'David's Choice' Abutilon is enjoying the rain. His flowers hold up better than roses do in wet weather:
Ended up at a different nursery for some onion fertilizer. Somehow a new Hellebore came home, too:
Rain is magic!
Lovely roses and I adore than new hellebore too. While I worked in the garden in the rain earlier, I didn't do so today when the rain was steady (and still is). We're running behind your rain total, racking up 5.53 inches for the water year to date so far this evening. All my rain tanks are full and, after pouring the contents of several trugs on the habitually driest areas, I've halted my collection process given the report that the biggest storm yet is headed in our direction.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't all that much here yesterday, so I was running around doing stuff outdoors. I'm chopping up the Christmas tree into little pieces--it makes excellent mulch and keeps it out of the landfill.
DeleteOver the course of the season seems like rain totals even out pretty well.
I saw a headline that said "8 more inches of rain for California", thought of you, and then saw your post. That is wonderful news. - Phillip
ReplyDeleteIt's been such a relief!
DeleteHurray! You've gotten lots of rain. Beautiful post.
ReplyDeleteThanks! And, thanks! :)
DeleteGlad you got rain without it being problematic. And that is a great idea about the Hydrangea as a flower frog. Love the Hellebore you got. Does it have a name?
ReplyDeleteMost of the rain in our area has come down lightly and in intervals--perfect for soaking into the soil rather than running off. :) Hellebore is labeled "H. orientalis dbl picotee". It has a particularly eye-catching flower.
DeleteHydrangea flower frog genius! Lovely bouquet. Rain is magic until it turns destructive, fingers crossed yours stays on the positive side.
ReplyDeleteLooking good here. Up north they are getting a lot more.
DeleteOh, the roses! And the arrangement--beautiful! I'm glad you're getting needed rain. Thanks for sharing the health and beauty through your blog post.
ReplyDeleteHappy you enjoyed the flower pictures. Thank you!
DeletePerfect time to plant onion seedlings. With the dry months you have had I bet you can see the ground slurping up all that rain. Your rose photos are stunning. Clever idea to use the hydrangea as a frog.
ReplyDeleteYes the onions are thoroughly rained in--hopefully a good crop this year.
DeleteGlad you liked the flower pictures!
Congratulations on your rain - that must feel soooooo good after so much dry. I love the hydrangea/flower frog idea - gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteYes too much dry. Too many trees in the neighborhood dying of thirst. Using a hydrangea flower as a florist frog makes an arrangement so easy even I can manage it, lol!
DeleteIt is lovely to look at rose blooms first thing in the morning on the first week of January. Considering the wet and gray all around me (Seattle), it's really a head turner: all are beauties, 'Brass Band' has a particularly stunning color.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize onions require a unique fertilizer... (an un conscience ploy to visit another nursery?).
A lovely hellebore score. This time of year, when in the garden, I shift wet leaf matter to spy on my hellebores' forming buds... very exciting.
Chavli
Since we've been having grey skies lately (well, grey for here) 'Brass Band' is a wonderful sight. Though it's good in sunshine, too.
DeleteNoooooooooo, you caught me! I did just want to go to another nursery. I came home with a Hellebore, not fertilizer, ha ha! Wet leaf matter--we actually have some of that the past few days. Normally it's as crispy- dry as a potato chip.