For weeks on end I have been sadly looking out the window while torrents of rain have pummelled my garden. One of the only ways to get through the misery of the rain has been to imagine I am in the tropics. I look out the window, turn on the fireplace and lie to myself.
So I looked out the window. And I looked some more. Surely the rain would let up? And then this last weekend came. I was convinced everything would just float away - for realz. The torrents of rain culminated in a downpour of epic proportions.
And then today, right before I lost all touch of sanity, right when I thought I couldn't take one single more drop of rain, the sun came out. And In the glory of sunshine, and getting off work at a reasonable hour, I was able to get out and admire some of the changes in the yard. Like these epic blooms emerging from my fatsia japonica. They are out of this world - both in the cool sense and in the extra terrestrial sense.
The Autumn is a magical time of year for fatsia.
I think I said this last autumn, but why doesn't everyone plant fatsia!?
Remember the new flush of foliage on the schefflera taiwaniana? Well it is starting to take shape at a quick rate. I love how tender and tropical this young foliage looks. It all has played into my illusions and denials of the tropics. I guess thats a lesson in subtropical gardening ... make it believable.
Does anyone of experience with tender foliage of a schefflera during a freeze? I'll see how believable it looks over the next months.
But for now, the big bold tropical greens are all apart of the denial. They are all apart of the living out the year of summer. They are all apart of warming my heart and making the rain just a little bit more bearable. And if the november rains get you down, remember, this is the wettest month in the PNW! It only gets better from here on out...
That's nice you had a chance to enjoy your garden before the cold sets in. I don't know about the tender new growth on schefflera but my ancient one froze down to the roots during a record freeze--as in not one bit of green left. It has come back better than ever, it took a while though and I was amazed that it survived at all.
ReplyDeleteTorrents of rain for weeks on end would depress me almost as much as no rain for two years.
thanks :) I'm hoping my schefflera will sail through any cold. From what I've read it should be fine with our typical winter weather patterns.
DeleteAs for the rain ... it's rough sometimes. But I'm still holding out for some nice mild and dry weather up this way.
Really? November is the wettest month? I hadn't heard that, I would have guessed January or March. I too love the Fatsia, I was just admiring mine the other day (and will be posting about it soon).
ReplyDeleteWe might get a freeze Friday night, too soon in my book! Unless you go from 50 to 25 over night I bet your Schefflera will be okay, remind me, is in the ground?
At least up this way November is significantly wetter than any other month (10.2 inches average compared to January's 7.6). In my opinion that is about 10 inches too much!! I could handle .2 of an inch.
DeleteYay Fatsia!!!!!
Yuck freeze!!! Just checked my forecast shows 32f for friday night. YUCK! waaay to early for sure. I guess I have to actually take in the tropicals this time around.
And yes ... Schefflera is in the ground. But it's under the canopy of trees so it shouldn't get much frost.
DeleteI hope the new growth on your Schefflera survives the coming freeze/hard frost. We are slated for the same down here. I have also heard that November is the wettest/stormiest month. I don't mind the winter rain when it comes, but I do get sick of it eventually when it lingers in June and July.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why I haven't planted a Fatsia yet. I love big shiny leaves, so I really should.
boo frost!! We are forecast for 32F overnight on Friday. That won't be a problem for anything in the yard but it is more symbolic for me. It's kind of like crossing the threshold ... into a territory that I don't much appreciate. Can you imagine gardening in a frost free climate!?
DeletePlant a fatsia!!! You will love it!
Fatsia is a great plant. I had to severely prune one of mine this year and just stuck the severed ends in pots of soil. Some of them actually made it so they'll find spots in the parking strip in the spring.
ReplyDeleteThis is the first I've heard about the freeze - Yikes! We had some 66 degree highs over the weekend and I was in denial thinking that we might just get to skip winter this year. I guess that I'd better pull the last of the tender kids in for the winter. Sigh.
The new Schefflera foliage should be fine if it's under the tree canopy.
Parking strip fatsias sounds wonderful!!!
DeleteI don't think the freeze will be too bad, they are calling for 32f up this way but its the clear skies that could make that a few degrees cooler.. Hopefully not. I still have tropicals and summer flowers going strong. On the bright side some frost might start hardening some plants off a bit. We will be lucky if we get some short lived frosts under our belt in the next month in that sense. As much as I hate to admit it.
One way you and I live "tropical" all year is by eating delicious food from all different cuisines! So dinner together next week? Thai? Vietnamese? Greek? Italian? Let's make it happen! ~V
ReplyDeleteOHHH YES!!! LETS DO DINNER!
DeleteI hear ya on the rain - I remember all to well....BUT I will say this, I do miss the lushness....and I do miss the rain here. I am not even kidding you. Your garden looks FULL, lush and just stunning.
ReplyDeleteAww thank you. Lush is always happy. Maybe you guys will get some rain, and we can have a bit more sun!?
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