Rain, Oh, Didn't it Rain!

This is our third day of pounding, crashing, flooding rain. And if you have never experienced a South Louisiana rain, there is no way you can know what I am talking about.  We are talking monsoon. Rain coming down an inch an hour.  Rain that fills up the streets, the drainage ditches, the garden, the yard and your shoes.  Drainage is slow in our 6' above sea level altitude, so we live with squishy shoes for several days after one of our rains.

The plants love it if they survive.

The Black Gamecock Louisiana Iris is hanging in there wanting to open. If the weather clears today, it might make it.

This iris is open but wishes it had a raincoat. Poor thing.

Bottlebrush is resting in the camellias. Just as well or the branches might break from the water weight.

The calla just gets more beautiful.

The beans are up!  That vertical stripe on the left is water next to the raised bed.  Can you see why we grow in raised beds?

As an aside, traffic here doubled yesterday because I added marijuana and cocaine to both the blog and the labels. Shows you what is important to my readers. 

Hey, buy my book.

A Practical Guide to Building and Maintaining a Pond

It's on sale for 99 cents right now and will be for a few more days. Better get it now. And then please write a review.

Thanks for the visit today.

Aquatic Plants for West Virginia

                                                                          Swamp Lily


What are some aquatic plants for a backyard pond in southern West Virginia?
Something other than lilies.


Answer:
There are dozens, both tropical and hardy. Rushes of all kinds will do great. Arum and Saggitaria are particularly nice. Horsetail is another great plant for texture. Plant Louisiana Irises for spectacular spring color.
For floating plants, try parrots feather, water clover and water poppies.
Anacharis is the best for submerged vegetation.

More about irises

I forgot to mention yesterday that it's time to cut back irises.  Many people do it in the early summer right after the plants bloom, but I like to enjoy the foliage all summer, so I wait until fall to cut them back.  Remember the iris blooms on new growth, so divide and cut back. That way all growth next spring will be new and you will irises to share and irises to enjoy.

Irises and Cannas

Here in the South, it's time to start dividing pond plants.  For blooms next spring, divide Louisiana irises and cannas now.  They are all crowded, so for a good show of flowers next spring divide not.

Bet you didn't know that irises bloom on the new growth, so if you leave them growing on the outside of the pot, only the outer ones will bloom. One of your friends will ask for a cutting and you will break off an outer clump and happily give it to your friend.  Next spring you can listen to her brag about her beautiful iris bloom and you will be looking at green irises. Pretty, yes, but enjoy the blooms, not just the foliage. Divide now. Don't put it off.

Irises mean spring

Louisiana irises are starting to bloom. This one is in my front garden today and more bloom stalks are evident and about to burst. Callas in the pond are blooming. Spring, maybe not officially, has arrived. Get ready to see your fish become active and your pond plants begin to bloom. It was a long winter, wasn't it?