Cooling. Zephyranthes In September, Lavender Rehab

 

How the garden felt the past few weeks: fiery

It's finally cooling here after a long stretch of very hot weather.  Many days I could not even get out into the garden except for a few minutes of emergency watering.  A few plants died, but fewer than I expected. 

One plant was celebrating direct sunlight returning to it after several years of being completely covered over by now limbed-up Callistemon (Melaleuca) 'Slim'.   Rose 'Tangerine Streams', celebrated by producing a flush of flowers that looked good despite the heat:

The Zephyranthes candida at its base was also celebrating the direct sunlight with a lavish bloom.  All over the garden, clumps of Zephyranthes seem to have been spurred to flower by the rare, wonderful summer rain we also got recently.  One common name for them is "Rain Lily", a name acquired because rain often stimulates them to flower.   (It's in the Amaryllis family, not the Liliaceae--watch those misleading common names!)   

Out in the front garden, by the urn fountain:

By the gate to the veg garden, in a whole lot of shade:

By the other gate into the veg garden:

Mixed in with germander, by the pond:

 Sprouting through a Centaurea in a lot of shade:

 Zephyranthes candida has been an outstanding edging plant in this garden, wherever there's some irrigation to keep it alive over our long dry season.  The clumps can spread, but they are quite slow to do so, and can be dug up, divided, and thus provide many clumps of them.

Joy after weeks of miserable heat!

I watch the BBC show Gardener's World on BritBox, and have been saddened by seeing the very hot dry summer they've had--sad for both gardeners but also for Britain's farmers who must have had a terrible time of it.  

One show featured a Lavender grower, who had a decent summer, sinces Lavender hold up to dry heat.  The grower described how to rehab older lavender plants with a technique that has proven valuable in my own garden.  It also works to rehab, refresh and size-reduce many woody shrubs, like Raphiolepis.

Rehabbed, refreshed Lavender 'Provence':

 You cut back the central growth of the plant so that its base is exposed to sunlight, leaving the growth around it to continue to feed the plant and keep it healthy.  The center will then often sprout healthy new growth.  

New growth sprouting from a lavender's center base,  surrounded by old stems: 

The old growth around it can then be removed, either gradually or all at once, depending on if it is good or not.  In the case of the Lavender, sometimes surrounding stems that have gone bare closest to the soil will root themselves, providing a new plant that can be cut free once it has good roots, and moved to another part of the garden.  Now, out to the garden, because it's cooler today.