The Heat Giveth, and the Heat Taketh Away

This post is written in remembrance of my dear, departed potted annuals.  May they go in peace, knowing they once brought beauty and elegance to my front porch.


It's hot here in central North Carolina, and several of the plants are showing the results of it.  These annuals, which once looked full, lush and healthy (as pictured above) are now quite beyond their prime.   The term "burned to a crisp" might be appropriate, actually.  The dahlias (center) have completely died, the begonias have brown and curly leaves, and the trailing bacopa are stringy, bloomless, and look a little worse every day.  Each year, I enjoy putting together a different mixture of annuals for my front porch, and I really liked this particular mixture.  Back during those balmy spring days, when I perused the annuals at the garden shops to select this year's varieties, it was hard to imagine the brutal, searing heat that was on its way.  But it has arrived, nonetheless.


About this time every year, things get a bit out of control in my gardening efforts.   The garden becomes difficult to keep watered sufficiently, the weeds in nearly every landscaped area get a little worse (OK, in truth, a lot worse), and I'm simply not outside as much.  I still put forth some effort, but I also begin planning for fall, when we'll get those blessed breaks in humidity and the five-day forecast won't have so many 9s in it.  Once the temperature reaches more than 60 degrees above or below the freezing mark (I've experienced both), I prefer to spend more time indoors.  Miserable is miserable, and either way, I'm just not tough enough to stay outside for long.


Although some of the summer plants are beginning to bloom less, and some are dying back, a few of them are absolutely thriving in these conditions.  My gardenias and elephant ear plants (Colocasia) are clearly loving this weather; each time I water them, I feel as though I could watch them grow, if I just stood next to them for a few more minutes.  I'm thankful they don't require much more from me in this heat than a good soaking with the water hose now and then.  I'll write a post on each of them later this month, to share a little of their vitality in this August heat.  It's their turn to be in the spotlight.  And I'll be happy to write those posts -- from the comfort of my air-conditioned home.