Hydrating the Hydrangea

Somehow these three mop-head flowers conveniently lined up on a single hydrangea plant.

Each morning, I go into the backyard with the dog and a cup of joe and water the relatively small collection plants, including grasses and vegetables, that populates our beds. This task has become even more important give the drought like conditions we (and 60% of the U.S. if the news is to be believed) are experiencing this summer. The temperature was forecast to be a near-record 95 degrees today, so I took time to soak the "important" plants very well. Afterwards, I snapped a few digital pictures.

A vibrant pink hydrangea that lives in our backyard.

One plant I am particularly proud of is the one pictured throughout this post. Located at the back end of our yard, near our "large waste" chicken wire compost pit, this hydrangea has had a rough go of it the past few years, due most likely to my neglect in taking care of it, and in having inadvertently cutting it too close to the ground a few summers ago (a sin my wife has yet to let me forget.)

The same plant from a different angle.

It's refreshing how lush the leaves and flowers look, more attribute to an early morning shooting session and generous watering than anything else. This particular hydrangea has responded well to being out of direct sunlight, tucked to the back of the yard under a slight tree canopy.