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Monday, September 7, 2009

A GIFT FROM THE RAIN

On Thursday we had a gift from the skies. 4/10" of rain fell during an evening thunderstorm. I love rain from a storm because it always carries a good dose of nitrogen. Just what the garden was waiting for.

Just what the oxblood lilies, Rhodophiala bifida, were waiting for. I had noticed them just coming through the ground but the speed with which they sent forth this bloom was remarkable. The lilies were a gift from Zanthan gardens last year on September 18th. MSS just pulled them out of the ground when they were in flower and I brought them home and kept them in a vase of water until they finished flowering, then put them in the ground. The flowers this year may be a little smaller but I put that down to the move. I am just thrilled they made it. They are popping up all over town thanks to the rain this past week.

4 comments:

  1. You're the first Austin blogger to post a picture of an oxblood lily in bloom this year, I think. I have one close to opening. The others are still pushing their way up out of the soil.

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  2. What a welcome relief that rain was, and I missed it! Your lily is gorgeous

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  3. How heartening to see that red flower, Jenny! We didn't get rain and only a few Oxblood tips are visible here - went out to handwater them this morning as MSS instructed...fingers crossed they'll bloom.

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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  4. I'm glad that your oxblood lilies bloomed this year. For some reason, most of the ones I divided last year didn't--I think I divided them too late (most in October). Dividing them while they're flowering isn't really the best thing to do but it's so convenient because it's easy to see them and they haven't put out too many root yet.

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