Dogwood Time
Dandelion Clock
Floradora went outside to check what time it was…
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Time!
…the dandelion clock says it is time to check on the dogwood trees!
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Summer Dry
There is a circle of green around the base of the Dogwood trees, surrounded by brown dried grass…
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Green!
…because the extraordinarily hot and dry summer drought lead to watering restrictions! Luckily there were exceptions for newly planted trees, so I have been giving them a nice soak every few days, and the municipal arborists have been by to check on them too…
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healthy
…and I have been throwing dishwater on them!
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Up
Floradora climbed up!
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Dried bud
This variety can form fruit, but the buds we can see have just dried up – perhaps there wasn’t enough water to put energy into fruit production, or perhaps they weren’t pollinated.
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Leaves
In any case, the leaves look OK…
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Bark
…and the bark seems healthy, and is protected by a wire cage (so the deer can’t chew the bark or damage it by rubbing their antlers on it)…
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Starry
Floradora says any time spent with a tree is special time! She is glad she checked up on her relatives Dogwood “Cornus Starlight”, which seem to be doing quite well. It is hard to believe it’s the last day of August – soon it will be fall and time for the leaves to turn colour!
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Quimper Hittys 
Despite the summer dry, drought, and brown grass, it is wonderful to see Floradora’s enchanting smile as she visits her surviving cousin. Our grass is in similar circumstances. Dishwater must be a boon to those embedded roots.
It’s good to throw the water on the plants, since the reservoir levels are diminishing…I love Floradora’s smile too, and love to take her out and about, she just enjoys it so much.
How wonderful that the Quimper Hittys spend so much time ouside, keeping a close eye on the trees and other plants. Floradora is a born, or carved, naturalist.
I love having a dogwood tree to take care of, and I think you are right that Floradora is a naturalist born (or carved)!
Floradora is a sweet naturalist! I love that dress and the prit…very unique and perfect for her. Dogwood, the state tree of Missouri. So glad yours are thriving.