The even inches of rain since the fourth of July have transformed the garden. I'm spending most of my gardening time pulling up sedge grass and moving plants in preparation for incoming iris. The local nursery authority says monsoon season is THE time to plant. This year I believe him.
The move of rose Desiree Parmentier seems to have been a success. The new growth canes that wilted the first day are back to growing. One of two Pink Pet moves seems to have been successful. Maybe the second one will come back after dropping all its leaves.
I see lots of buds forming on repeat flowering roses. I'll post photos when the flurry of work is over, probably a few weeks from now.
Never before this July have I lived in a place that has received seven or eight inches of rain in any four consecutive weeks during summer. This has led me to understand that there are a few roses that need close to twice the standard recommendaton for water: "an inch per week." It's good to know; but short of major climate change there is no way I'm ever going to give all my HT roses two inches of water per week from March through September here. There are a lot of good plants that flourish on a lot less. And many of them are also roses.
I do wish I had taken a photo of it, Amanda. Your comment reminds me that I need to prune Malvern Hills for its third time this season. I walked beneath it with my hands full two days ago. Then, after working in the garden for a while, I walked by again and found my hat swinging from a rose briar.