In my part of the world we have not had substantial, soaking rain for nearly a week. It is now officially high summer, with the kind of pervasive hot weather that makes and lawns and gardens extra thirsty. Those fortunate pieces of earth watered by in-ground irrigation systems are much less parched, but even they … Read more
Way back in 1939 Ethel Water’s sang a set of torrid lyrics written by Irving Berlin. The first line goes: `“Oh, we’re having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave.” Many of us are singing that song right now. Berlin’s “heat wave” was generated by an unnamed human temptress. Our current heat wave is generated … Read more
As I walk around the neighborhood on torrid mornings, I try not to be jealous of people with in-ground sprinkler systems. Still it is hard to watch the little sprinkler heads spewing water in all directions, making flowerbeds glisten and lawns lush and green, and not wish that I had gone into a more lucrative … Read more
There is only one word for my lower back garden these days—depressing. The infernal heat, with or without humidity, has made the hydrangeas, ferns and hostas look as if they are in the last stages of consumption. Even the stalwart hellebores are flat out—literally. Daily watering does little to stave off the desiccating effects of … Read more
