Here in Berkeley, where we may not receive any rain from May to October, the garden typically limps through
September, dusty and susceptible to black spot and mildew. I deep water at least one plant each time I’m working out there, letting the hose drip for an hour or so, but it’s rain the garden needs—water everywhere. This year our neighbor also cut down a couple of dead trees in their front yard and the sawdust coated most of my plants. My California fuchsia which normally blooms orange in September was damaged when the fence was cleaned and re-stained. There is enough foliage that it will come back, but not this year. When we returned from a week in Los Angeles with the grandchildren, I cut back the pink and white naked lady lilies, which had dried up, and deadheaded the aster in front, hoping for a few more blooms. The one spectacular bright spot is that the orchid cactus hanging on the front porch has finally bloomed, after 2 years.

Toni Martin Writes