"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Wilting Wednesday.

We are having some record breaking heat here in the Seattle area and really, all the people, animals and plants are doing is wilting.  It is especially hard for people here because most do not have air conditioning in their homes.  I was up early watering trying to save my plants, and the girls and I have already made a run to Dairy Queen for ice cream.

I'm not sure if this picture shows just how wilted things are looking.

This is the temperature on our shaded deck at 12:30 p.m.

This is where the girls will try to cool off, at least this corner of the yard gives the feeling of coolness even though it's not.  Many of my shade plants are flat on the ground, even with the watering I've been doing.

Tomorrow is supposed to be up over 100 again here.  I really feel bad for the kids and the elderly that are so effected by the heat.  Our home was 86 degrees inside last night, and I'm sure many people had even warmer houses.  We are lucky that we have large trees that shade our house for most of the afternoon.  
Anyone else wilting today?
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31 comments:

  1. The heat in the northwest made the national news. I feel for you all. My mother lives in the northeast and they are not used to heat but over the last few years it has gotten hotter and hotter. She finally bought a window air conditioner. It has saved her, literally. All I can say is have lots of fans, a close by pool and stay in the shade. Those plants in the picture are pretty hardy. As long as they get a drink once every two weeks or so they'll survive probably even better than the folks. Hang tough.

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  2. I, too, have been hearing about your heat. We are only in the 90's and have had some relief from rain in the last two days. I can tell your plants are wilted but I think they have a strong foundation and will be fine. Glad the girls enjoy their pool. Don't you get overheated trying to water.

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  3. If you get a chance, look at the link in my crape myrtle post - I think it is saying some are hardy for your area or at least they have some for containers. I would love for you to have one in your beautiful yard - the colors would be perfect with what you currently have.

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  4. Oh, you poor thing. yuk! Way to hot.Would you believe it is 76 in Ohio at the end of July.Weird weather.If I could send you some of the cool and take some of your heat all our gardens would do better.

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  5. I have read about your heat wave on several blogs. And I left messages telling them that we are having a record making cold July. The coldest July on record. We sleep under blankets most nights. It has been very cold in the mornings. We have also had a lot of rain every other day or so. I know the weather don't move from us to you and that you get your weather from the Pacific Ocean and beyond. I think this we are getting is, as usual, out of Canada.

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  6. I feel your pain literally since I live in Southern Oregon it has been redickulus(Sp?) we went to Medford the other day and it was 105 and got 100 her today. Luckily we have ac that was the first thing we did when we moved in actually. Good luck with the watering! have a great evening

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  7. Yes, we are melting here, too. I took the kids to the coast yesterday for the day, and it was definately the place to be!! Well worth the drive. It was 106 here yesterday, and although we have a lot of trees, too, it is over 100 out there right now. I have been watering like crazy. Bring back some normal weather!!

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  8. I knew you were having high temps but it didn't occur to me about some people not having air conditioning up there. I hope it breaks for y'all soon. I guess we are having your weather which is so odd for this time of the year.

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  9. I cannot imagine a home w/o a/c. My goodness, I really don't know way to type, so, me being me, will pray for the people in your area..

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  10. It is hard to take when it gets into the nineties. I know the elderly are really in trouble as they don't maybe have fans or don't know they are dehydrating. We have ceiling fans in the majority of our rooms just to curb heat when the air conditioning doesn't cut it. Moving air helps. Please take care and I trust that heat will move on soon.

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  11. I am sailing in the same boat. Sad!

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  12. Mildred - I will look into the Crape Myrtle, maybe one in a container on my deck...


    Darla - You are very sweet and I know those prayers will be appreciated!

    Hope you are all finding ways to keep cool. It's 89 inside the house now.

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  13. I'm glad I got in and out of there before it got that hot! However, my friends are one of those rare few w/ air conditioning. They're very defensive about it like good northwesterners. "It was there when we moved in, etc."

    Stay cool.

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  14. I am well beyond wilting and on to melting! Yuck. Sorry about your plants, I bet they will be fine. I am being a horrible water pig but am trying not to worry about it too much. I just can't bear to lose anything more after all the winter devastation. Good luck to you and your kids and I hope nobody dies this week from the heat, it's scary hot. 88 in our house at the moment, only going to get worse tomorrow. :(

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  15. Hi Catherine, please do consider a small window air conditioner. My inlaws in PA were insulted when we bought them one while we were visiting one year and even tried to return it to the store. We told them it was for us when we visited and they could not turn it when when we left if they wished. They ended up buying another one after feeling the relief from the cool air at night. The weather is changing and we must change our habits along with it. We have gone from nearly as much rainfall as your area to drought conditions here in SE TN. The plantings have been changed over to the xerics that can withstand winter rains and summer heat, humidity and drought. A tough combination but there are plants that can survive those conditions. Grasses are especially good. Keep cool any way you can!
    Frances

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  16. I'm sorry about your hot, hot weather. High temps zap the energy right out of a person (and all the plants), not to mention how dangerous it can be. Wishing you cool breezes and QUICK!

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  17. You've gotta be kidding !!!
    You're not suppose to get temps that high.
    Any restrictions on watering ?...that would be a problem.

    Garden still looks happy!

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  18. That high heat with no AC is just miserable. When we lived in PA we didn't have AC at first.

    Wishing you cooler temperatures soon!

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  19. I would admire your lovely blooms every time I visit your blog, and inspired. This time I'm amazed that you're getting the same heat as I'm experiencing since May. Watering in the evenings coupled with high humidity, it's a combination for natural-sauna here.

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  20. Hi Catherine, I actually was thinking of you yesterday during the 6 o'clock news as the PNW weather was a feature! Yep, definitely strange going ons all over the place...stay cool, please..heat exhaustion is a dangerous thing!

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  21. uhh.. that's really hot. We can conveniently rush inside but pity the plants, sunbathing under such scotching sun. Considering umbrella or anything to shade those plants?..

    Cheers
    ~ bangchik

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  22. I've been hearing about your heat over there, Catherine. 86 inside makes for a really miserable night. When we lived in silicon valley in CA, without AC, we had a heat wave with temps over 100. We all spent time out in the shaded yard with our feet in a blow-up pool. But at least we had an evaporative (swamp) cooler to help us inside. Like Frances, I would suggest a window unit, but I heard that those have sold out very quickly around Seattle. So you might not even be able to find one. Good luck!

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  23. wow.......living in the south, those are fairly normal temps for us...but without rain or an air conditioner....I couldn't make it!!!!! No fan can help in that kinda heat! I hate that you and everyone else up there are going through this. It affects peoples moods as well! I will pray for ya'll!!!

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  24. Thanks everyone for your nice words! Either I'm already used to it, or it's not going to be quite as bad today.


    Frances - Next time I see a fan or small AC I'm buying it, even if it's in the middle of winter :)

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  25. It's that long, sustained heat that kills you, isn't it? We're tired of days of over 90 degrees.

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  26. Hi Karen~~ Much to my dismay my plants are hanging in there. Me? If the freaking heat doesn't kill me, my water bill will!!! Even today, it's ten degrees cooler but I've still got this perpetual layer of sweat clinging to me. Ten minutes out of the shower and it's back. Horrid weather.

    Your thermometer says it all...and this was at 12:30. But I guess since we had an atypical winter we might as well have an atypical summer to match. Keep cool. Your pool looks mighty tempting. :)

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  27. How AWFUL!
    I will send you some of your cold July weather and rain....we have been wayyyyy colder than usual this spring and summer in Northern Michigan.

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  28. Crazy heat all over on the west coast! I've been hearing about yours up north in the news. The pictures look somehow familiar (ha ha) Down here, if we make the mistake of planting something not quite right for the valley it wilts like crazy after one day! Here's an interesting note...I have a potted palm tree on my patio and over the past week, we have had heat at 108-111. Guess what's happened? The palm tree's fronds are actually burned! I didn't think it could happen. Bring on the cooler weather...I can't wait to relocate!

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  29. Hope your heat wave ends soon, July in Iowa is usually like the weather you are having now but this year it is cool and wet. We have hardly had our air on.

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  30. I am totally in love with your pond! I can't believe how hot it's been for you in Seattle! Wow! We are one of the driest states in the nation and we've only hit 105 once or twice this summer, but normally we are up there, so I feel your pain!

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  31. Hey cathernine yes my pup is a springer well shes not really a pup lol shes gonna be two on October 31, Shes a halloween pup. We have two of them actually she's the wild child. We also have a black and white springer to she's the lazy 10 year old couch one though. Have a wonderful Saturday.

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