Recovery

Its been really interesting watching the garden recover from the record breaking rains over the last 6 months (wettest summer on record apparently).
1. Initially most plants responded to the extra moisture by growing really well - and being spring helped this process too.
2. Then the odd plant or two began to turn up its toes. Mostly anything Mediterranean.
3. Then we had some really hot days and lots of plants died. Excess soil moisture had rotted roots earlier on and the hot day stressed the plant so much so it seemed to die overnight.
4. Then I noticed that many plants that grew well early on had stopped growing altogether. This was particularly noticeable with my weeping apricot and white plumbago.

The weeping wands of the weeping apricot are usually brushing the ground by now and yet this year they are still about 60cm away. The white plumbago would normally be throttling visitors as they walked down the path by now but it is only half its usual size. It is flowering prolifically as usual but the leaves are turning yellow already. Its in what was a really wet spot so I am surprised it is still alive. The aptenia groundcover that grew like topsy last summer has been a bit slower this year. Erigeron 'Elsie' has also been stopped in its tracks and hasn't grown much since it flowered in spring. The Eunonymus alatus that has only been in for a couple of years showed promise early on but then grew very little. And Crataegus tanacetifolia didn't do much at all but has set a lot of fruit which the rosellas haven't discovered (yet!).

All in all as we gardeners have to remind ourselves occasionally - gardening is a learning experience and every plant death means a fresh opportunity. So on the weekend I went to the AOGS Plant Fair held just up the road. I'll tell you next time what I bought!