Flowers After the Rain

What to do with the broken flowers after the rain? The hot, humid days of summertime often produce afternoon and evening thunderstorms where I live. I am always grateful for the rain that waters the grass, bushes, gardens and plants. But often these storms come with heavy downpours and gusty wind. A walk around the yard after the rain, reveals damage to many blossoms and flowers.

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Flowers from the garden

Are you like me?

Are you hesitant to cut flowers that are blooming so beautifully in and around the berms and beds that are in your yard.

Knowing they would have more visibility if I brought them in to enjoy throughout the house, I struggle because they would then not be there as I stroll about the yard.

Silly, isn’t it.

Flowers After the rain

But after the rain, when thunderstorms have ripped through the neighborhood with torrential downpours, pelting the blossoms, many are left bent over or broken. Though sad to see the damage, it does remove my hesitancy to cut them, giving freedom to gather the flowers and bring them inside.

Creating simple centerpieces and arrangements

Unpretentious and so cheerful, Shasta daisies in a simple creamer or pitcher sits on the coffee table. I tucked in a few sprigs of mint because I like the green.

Spiderwort, coleus, bellflower, hydrangea and hosta flowers fill a petite crystal vase by a reading chair.

Simple bouquets from broken flowers after the rain

Now here is a flower I have no problem cutting from the plant. Many of my friends love the long spikes that stand tall above the hosta plants. Me… not so much. But I do think they look lovely arranged in a narrow bud vase.

Are you a gardener that prefers just the hosta foliage or do you enjoy hosta plant with its flowers? 

Have you noticed how delicate and pretty the flowers are? Like tiny lilies in shades of lavender and white. The flowers don’t last long, so removing the spent ones and/or trimming the stems will keep the arrangement looking nice longer.

 
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After the rain tiny bouquets 

This is the first year I have grown Impatiens since the terrible downy mildew that decimated the stock beginning in 2004. These mildew-resistant Impatiens are doing well and this single stem gathered after the rain are displayed in a tiny vase to brighten the powder room.

You can always find a little space, even on a crowded office desk top, to add a vase of pink miniature roses. Guaranteed to lighten the mood while working away!

After the rain, sunshine sends welcoming rays of light through the kitchen windows onto a group of three multi-color hydrangea stems.

Most vulnerable to storms 

Every year, this is the plant that is the most vulnerable to damage from storms. A snowball hydrangea that blooms first in a fragrant, brilliant white and then changes to a lovely chartreuse green.

Even though I brace the bushes with bamboo stakes and carefully wrap each flower head, they take a beating every storm. The massive blossoms get very heavy with the rain and once the stems breaks over, the only thing left is to cut them and bring inside.  Fortunately, the hydrangea dry nicely and last for a very long time.

Here is a photo so you can get a better perspective of the size of each blossom! They are huge!    🙂 

Dressing the mantle for summer, one single gladiolus that was bent and broken reaches high and looks lovely with a few hosta stems and leaves.

Do you live in an area where thunderstorms or other weather becomes a problem each summer?

Do you take special precautions or grow particular plants because of this?

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