A wet and luxuriant summer at the gardens

Magnolia Gardens this past Saturday was a summer feast for the eyes.    After all the rain we’ve had, the gardens were especially lush and green.   The clouds — oh my, they were huge and billowy, the very epitome of summer.  The woods were deep green and alive.   Hydrangea were in bloom everywhere and also canna lilies and zinnias.  It hasn’t been to hot either, so the walking experience was much more pleasant than on a normal day in July.  I may go out there again this weekend.   More rain is forecast, but compared to the many previous summers of drought, it a welcome change.   Our farmers and home vegetable gardeners are not faring that well, however, as the monsoon like rains have been terrible on the crops such as tomatoes, and it’s been difficult to get out in the fields to plant.   Nevertheless, I will enjoy the beauty of Magnolia Gardens, mindful of the fact that we are experiencing strange and unusual weather, all tied to a rapidly warming planet.   In the gardens, I feel like I am in a moist hothouse, so to speak while in so many parts of the country, especially out West it is so extremely hot and dry.  

Below are some of the pictures I took that capture the feeling and mood of the day.