July’s Rains

June’s rainfall was below normal, and July has been nonexistent until July 16. Southeastern Michigan has had spotty showers this month, with some spots getting drenched while others get nothing.

Concrete sidewalk with scattered raindrops.
Don’t laugh! That’s how wet the sidewalk got. I doubt that this counts as “measurable” precipitation. Photographed after an extremely brief shower on July 16, 2018.

Last year we got our break on July 7. Fortunately, Ann Arbor’s art fairs started on Thursday, July 19. The art fairs always seems to bring rain, frequently on the second day.

The chance of rain on July 24 was 10%, although there was a hazardous weather advisory—a few areas could expect thunderstorms and heavy rain—in other words, spotty showers again. We had a lunchtime shower sufficient to wet the sidewalk under the honey locust, and the hydrangeas and roses look lovely.

Four oakleaf hydrangea flowerheads, with a short hybrid Ehinacea and variegated iris foliage peeking out from under the edge.
Oakleaf hydrangea, after a shower. The sterile flowers turn pink once the fertile flowers are done. Photographed July 24, 2018.

This well-established oakleaf hydrangea has almost completely overrun the variegated irises and the little hybrid Echinacea under it. They shall both have to be moved once the weather moderates.

Roses

I love roses, but I am fundamentally a lazy an efficient gardener. Plants have to be sturdy or overwhelmingly lovely in some way to stay in my yard. Morden’s Blush is a sturdy rose that will sit through the winter uncovered and take whatever the weather throws at it, and then bloom at the least provocation in milder weather—that’s why it is in the planter box where it gets the spillover from filling the watering can for outdoor potted plants. I’m not inclined towards romanticism, but really.…

The rose cluster fills the frame entirely, with a new pink rose opening in the center, and older roses surrounding it that have faded; the lighter the rose, the older it is. The oldest is white.
Morden’s blush cluster, after the rain, with an opening flower. Photographed July 24, 2018.

Ballerina has also been very happy with the paltry rain we have gotten over the last few days.

This is a rather variable single-flowered rose. Mine has petals that go from a deep rose pink to white at the center. As they age, they fade to white.
A spray of the rose Ballerina. Photographed July 24, 2018.

There are more spotty showers in our future. The spring ephemera have taken the hint given by the lack of water and gone dormant, as have the irises and bulbs, which like it dry.