Fair-Weather Friend

I love flowers.

You probably know that by now.

I squished my way out to take pictures of them today, between cloudbursts.

I also love gardening...most of the time.

But I have a confession to make:

I am not an all-weather gardener.

For instance, it has been raining here for weeks--not my favorite.

These daffodils have been loving the rain!

And I've been loving the daffodils, so there is that.

Summer rain is a little different.

Unless it's a downpour, I have been known to keep going through that, but cold, late-winter rain?

Um, no thanks. 

You see, I have this stack of books I should read...

Hyacinths coming up! Can't wait!

The other time I don't like going out is when it's really hot.

So basically, the whole month of August.

Oh, I might slip out in the morning or evening to do some watering, but actual gardening?

I think not!

Only if absolutely necessary!

Iris reticulata--"rock garden iris."

They're only about 4 inches tall, and I love them.

This decided dislike of miserable weather has definitely affected my gardening philosophy.

I tend to plant things that don't take much babying. I call it tough love.

I go bigger with my containers, so I only have to water them once a day during the annual August heat-wave, rather than two or three times. 

Even once a day is a stretch, to be honest. 

I never ever plant or transplant new shrubs in July. Actually, I try not to do any transplanting at all past June, no matter how good those end-of-season plant sales are.

I just do not have it in me to coddle a fragile new plant through the end of summer.

Yes, I found this out about myself by sad experience...more than once.  

Also, we had a sprinkler system put in for the lawn, because if I'm hard-pressed to keep my vegetables and flowers watered in August, the grass doesn't stand a chance.

Look at the three different shades of blue and purple!

I didn't plan that, but it is just so, so lovely.

That could be why spring bulbs and I are a match made in heaven!

You plant them in the fall.

Done.

You go in where it's nice and cozy and while away the winter reading.

Then, the next spring all of these gorgeous flowers start popping up!

They love the spring rains!

They don't mind a hard frost now and then, or even a snow--provided it melts off fairly quickly.

They just do their thing like nobody is watching them, but of course you are loving every minute of it. Then once the show is over, they die off all by themselves, and quietly disappear until next spring.

About the most they need, usually, is dividing every few years--which can be done in late spring/early summer, or fall.

[Free flowers! What's not to like?]

So, everybody with  me now: three hearty cheers for spring bulbs!

Now, if it would only stop raining...