We got our wish at last: 4 and 3/4" of rain over the last two days. The plants and the earth
had been very very thirsty.
Beautiful flowers with a beautiful fragrance. Sweet, coconutty and very
strong. If we hadn't gotten rain it probably would have closed up shop
for the year, but now it'll probably keep going until a freeze cuts it down.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKN8GSuiW0MaDYfpvpzoct-YijUiqkQrhC3YYUad5h1GFyv7P8ZqRNiWLiyISA3rKuH1zBaEnIx27aQOewQBD31VxkeWcc6wZhzhwVpTd2q1eshe5qTHEQ1C0TCYCPXPF3_Jhl3qC3GTU/s640/IMGP6752p.jpg)
strong. If we hadn't gotten rain it probably would have closed up shop
for the year, but now it'll probably keep going until a freeze cuts it down.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKN8GSuiW0MaDYfpvpzoct-YijUiqkQrhC3YYUad5h1GFyv7P8ZqRNiWLiyISA3rKuH1zBaEnIx27aQOewQBD31VxkeWcc6wZhzhwVpTd2q1eshe5qTHEQ1C0TCYCPXPF3_Jhl3qC3GTU/s640/IMGP6752p.jpg)
We have really enjoyed the 4 o'clocks this year. The last couple of
weeks they've looked terrible during the day but were still covered
with flowers that opened to release their sweet fragrance at night.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0gaB3ltcGLJq3Rmx3mH-WbXRlJANyYRnO-E1ZTnWUtdiERVytScGL3_6_D7aQ2epvBeRe2jpmZajYb4oz7cDquhMJKkYc54EAh0PVKaxyMmrnEuqfTd1I5HW_wLqViQvj7kLzb9wY6M/s512/IMGP6694p.jpg)
weeks they've looked terrible during the day but were still covered
with flowers that opened to release their sweet fragrance at night.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0gaB3ltcGLJq3Rmx3mH-WbXRlJANyYRnO-E1ZTnWUtdiERVytScGL3_6_D7aQ2epvBeRe2jpmZajYb4oz7cDquhMJKkYc54EAh0PVKaxyMmrnEuqfTd1I5HW_wLqViQvj7kLzb9wY6M/s512/IMGP6694p.jpg)
I hadn't grown Silverleaf Sunflower for several years but have been meaning to. At last, this year I finally grew some from seed. These are in a new bed at the edge of the lawn. They get about 5-6 feet tall and highly branched, so they are covered with flowers and bloom over a long period of time. One year we had a volunteer come up in the little field across from one of the pastures; it looked so picturesque there and like a beacon. And naturally it was a complete accident. lol
The Japanese Beetles have been gone since late July, and these roses are blooming because I was watering new stuff that I'd put in recently. That might seem stupid in light of the dry spell, but we had been getting forecasts for rain.. besides, I can't wait until fall to plant a lot of the babies. Many are hot weather plants, which seem to do best for establishing for the next year when there's still heat. Also, I wouldn't be able to get to the front door.
I ended up coaxing every last drop from the rain barrels. So there are some flowers on 'Caldwell Pink'
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgxluVIS2TWBBgfjMfO_or94Ptu7t8834m9RALMTtCxHB0PgsMKX2FloVVYIQV7Yu3vLCz8_1rqxzgZMDnEFVEpL8hEtXO1W0ssRT9yzNhnRC9hMTh7OHGD29C8SfXyCBt2reqfBxvUw/s640/IMGP6726p2.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgxluVIS2TWBBgfjMfO_or94Ptu7t8834m9RALMTtCxHB0PgsMKX2FloVVYIQV7Yu3vLCz8_1rqxzgZMDnEFVEpL8hEtXO1W0ssRT9yzNhnRC9hMTh7OHGD29C8SfXyCBt2reqfBxvUw/s640/IMGP6726p2.jpg)
Here's looking forward to some cooler temperatures, at last.