In the Wet Garden
Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at 11:00PM I went to sleep last night to the heavy beat of rain and the wind blowing against the windows. While northern parts of the country are buried under deep drifts of snow, here we have only persistent rain. Early today there was a brief break in the clouds. 
Don't be fooled. That bit of blue sky was only a tease.I hurried out with my camera. I walked on spongy earth, and I am grateful we do not live in a flood plain.
This is no flood. It is water in a birdbath!
It was a bejeweled morning, a short respite from the gloom, as dripping branches glistened in the soft light, though I could see black clouds gathering for another surge.
Flowers were sodden, some full blooms lying helpless on the ground where they had been carried by the storms:
I often kneel or lie down to get better views of the hellebores, but not today!
Sometimes the tiniest things are the most interesting. This hydrangea 'Lady in Red' bud is pushing out even as last year's dried blooms still cling nearby to the same shrub. I can't decide if the new bud looks more like a candle or an arrow head!
It was a good morning to admire freshly washed foliage. Anything variegated is my favorite!
A couple of years ago I went on a rampage and tried to eliminate all of the wild nandinas growing throughout my garden, nearly an impossible task, and here is one I missed. I need to get rid of those berries soon, but I couldn't bring myself to do it today.
Nandina is invasive, but I love the bright berries!
I was grateful to get these few photos of the garden, for chilling rain soon returned and continued the rest of the day. My poor bones never did get warm. Sunshine is predicted for later in the week. If that happens and we also get some warmer temperatures, I think spring will gain too much momentum to stop, but one never knows for sure. Here one day is winter, the next day spring, around and around again until we are all confused, but eventually it works out!
branches, early spring, hellebores, rain, weather, wet foliage in spring, weather, winter
Reader Comments (25)
I hope you get some nice sunny days soon. I know what you mean by the weather, I can never predict the seasons anymore, they seem to have a mind of their own these days.
Rain certainly does give plants a beautiful gloss and shine! Lovely pics as always :) hopefully the warm weather arrives soon and as you've said the arrival of spring is now inevitable
Hi Deb....Wonderful pictures. They have almost an "unreal" quality to them. You have some nice color in your winter garden! I woke to rain and according to the weather channel, it will turn to snow in about an hour. I sure would like to see some sunshine.
Your weather sounds similar to ours. Wet, cold then sunny and warm. Today is sunny but bitingly cold with wind that is rattling down the chimney. Keep warm and full of hope for Spring to come. Christina
Same here - rain and the ground is spongy. But your hellebores are just gorgeous! And you have quite a few blooms. Even though they are droopy from the rain, they are still so pretty and cheerful.
You have some lovely blooms right now. I can understand your reluctance to get rid of the Nandina berries, they are so pretty.
We've been going back and forth between winter and spring a lot too. It's bitterly cold at night (for coastal California...I know, it's all relative), but then gloriously warm in the afternoons. I think our plants are quite confused at the moment. I do love the garden after a rain though.
Arrow head! Lovely hellebore photos despite the lack of willingness on the part of the photographer to kneel on wet earth ;-)
Hi Deb
Isn't it fun to photograph plants with raindrops on them? Beautiful! I am very envious of the number of blooms you already have. Wow! We are still months away. I also like variegated foliage - it adds texture to a border. And I don't blame you one bit for not lying down to shoot the Hellebores. We could still see how gorgeous they were.
Lovely pictures - especially the three glossy hellebores together. I see the hydrangea bud as a headdress, with a small mustached face beneath it. Spongey earth is a good description of the ground in NE Alabama, too. So longing for a few days of sunshine and warmer temps.
You sound to be as sodden as we are, the rest of the country here keeps getting loads of snow, we just get downpour after downpour, I think we will need to build an ark!
Don't blame you for not getting down on your knees, quite often I just hold the camera underneath and hope for the best!
Definitely an arrowhead for your hydrangea, it even looks as though it has been forged out of metal.
Love all your raindrop photos, they bring out the artistic streak in you!
Bejewelled indeed.
I love your drenched blooms...that bud looks like an arrow head to me....we have had winter more than not and I am hoping for an early spring...
Your rain soaked flowers are beautiful! I especially love the hellebore collage.
Photos with rain droplets are so magical! I'm extremely jealous because, yes, I'm buried under snow here in Wisconsin. But you give me hope that spring will eventually make it to the north--probably by Easter.
Cold and wet here but I"ll take it. :) I love how much you have blooming already! Stay warm!
Great shots, you are so much further ahead than us here in Winnipeg.
Beautiful images Deb, especially the one with the raindrops, lovely have a great day.
Looking forward to seeing your 'Lady in Red' hydrangea as it's on my wish list! And like you, waiting for the real spring to arrive!
After living on the coast all of my life, I never thought I would say this...but it's good to see the rain in your photos. We got a very light sprinkling, the first that wasn't snow since October. And it was very welcome.
Jen
What a difference a region makes, Deb. Rain for you, snow here in New England. Each offers some charm amid the inconvenience. Your images make that plain.
Nandina may be on the list of invasives, but I sure miss it here in Connecticut and would grow it if I could. After all, one gardener's pest is another's prize.
I am glad you ventured out despite the chilly rain. Beautiful photos. Down to 18 degrees here tonight, oh no.
I just love to vicariously enjoy the first signs of spring in the south, even if it is rather soggy. After that drought last summer, I don't mind a rainy day one little bit.
We haven't had any rain in awhile, and we need it :(. Your garden has a lot of color, I am glad you are able to enjoy it despite the rain. I love the hellebore collage, great pictures.
I love your spring flower pictures, I did so need to see that today. Thank you.