As of June 30, Northeastern Illinois is in a severe drought. Adding insult to very dry injury, we've just endured a searing heatwave, which began on June 30. Then on July 4, the heat spiked to over 100F with the overnight temperatures in the low 70s for four consecutive days (officially at O'Hare Airport it was only three days, but I don't live at O'Hare), with a blistering 106F as the highest temperature. Couple that with abundant sunshine and you've got the recipe for crispy fried garden.
While Geranium 'Gerwat' (Rozanne™) struggles gamely on, the foliage of Epimedium grandiflorum 'Lilafee' is becoming brown and crisp. The last buds on Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears' shriveled.
Similarly, the buds of the 'Purple Prince' lilies were unable to cope with the extreme heat, failing to open fully and toasting out.
It's hard to see in the picture, but a bud of the mystery yellow daylily (Hemerocallis) has dropped off the plant.
The drooping response to the extreme heat shown by these oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia 'Little Honey') is only temporary.
It's the browning of the foliage that has me concerned. They are prominent on the watering schedule.
Even native plants have started to struggle.
In the foreground at the base of the tree in the image on the left, Hepatica nobilis var. acuta is in distress. Watering in the morning of July 7 revived it (on right), but the infusion of moisture wasn't enough to help the Caulophyllum thalictroides in the background. It has started to give up the fight and is ready to doze off into dormancy. The Hepatica is evergreen and doesn't have that luxury. Watering has also saved the buds of Actaea racemosa.
The bloom stalks still looks a bit droopy to me. We shall see.
The crucible has had one positive feature. It has revealed the worth of Angelonia angustifolia Angelface series.
While the poor Impomoea batatas shrinks from the heat and the Calibrachoa has shriveled, the Angelonia just shrugs it off.
You didn't think I was going to leave you with just dismal thoughts, did you?
(All images were taken on July 5 or 7, 2012. I refused to leave the house during the 106-degree heat on July 6.)