The Good And The Really Ugly (Bad)

Here in Western Washington (USA) we've had so much rain for May and June --my yard is just not looking as beautiful as it usually does this time of year. Consider this tiger lily, for example ... with the constant rain, slugs have completely invaded my entire yard. They really are eating EVERYTHING! (This is, quite honestly, the best looking Tiger Lily I have growing this season. See how many of its leaves are eaten away? Most of these are so horribly damaged by rain and slugs they are too depressing to photograph). Meanwhile ... I want this blog to focus on what's beautiful so (scroll down) you will see some plants that LOVE the rain!

The flower boxes I planted in late February/April are doing great! (Of course, they're protected from both slugs and rain).





Here, my pink Yarrow is in bloom and aren't these flowers just lovely?

Lavender, in my back yard, is just starting to bud! If we can get some dry weather (for a change) I'll be seeing bees and pollinating insects here; hopefully soon!

Rain means plants have been growing so very lush ... I spent more than three hours weeding this morning and there's so much more weeding to do (Where is Edward Scissorhands when I need him?) but look how healthy my ground cover plants are looking!

I have strawberries all over my yard (I use this fruiting plant as an attractive ground cover as well as have plants in my garden area). The pug loves foraging through whatever strawberries are not fenced in ... he's obviously not reached these in the pot!

Valerian Root makes beautiful delicate pink and white flowers. Usually I trim these (as I did for most of my plants) to keep the herb itself more potent but every year I let a couple of plants bloom so they can self seed for next year.

This is just the cutest little stepable plant (not very big ... about the size of my hand. The pink flowers are big as a dime).

This flowering bush that I have in my front yard has benefited from the extra rain. Unpredictable weather is one very powerful reason why I plant variety in my gardens.

This flowering bush grows on the south side of our home and makes a great privacy barrier between neighbors.

I actually grew up with these pink carnations blooming in the rockery out in front of our childhood home. I had searched EVERYWHERE for them and never could find this particular variety. Then ... lo and behold ... my little sister (who didn't remember the flowers since she's 4-years-younger) had these growing in her very own yard!) Her neighbor had given them to her and they're so prolific she had extra to share with me! {{I feel so blessed to finally have them!}})

I probably have more orange California poppies growing in my gardens than any other flower. They have self-seeded each year and just bloom EVERYWHERE. I hate pulling them like weeds because they do not transplant well but we'd have no walkways if we didn't thin these out each year.

WARNING: HIDEOUSLY UGLY PHOTOS FOLLOW:

Think I have a slug problem??? This is my rhubarb patch ... (Slugs have been a horrid problem with such wet weather.

Yes! Those are actually rust spots you see on my rose, below. And in addition to bugs eating the leaves, we've got blight on the leaves as well thanks to months of rain, rain and MORE rain!

Looks like rusty leaves doesn't it! (That's because it's rained way too much  ... my poor fragrant organic roses!) I cannot even treat them with a skim milk spritzer it's raining so often!

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