The drought continues. A drive around town shows most lawns an unappealing patchwork of brown and light green; a few outlier lawns still dark green–one builder even had the new lawn’s irrigation system on at 11 am under the bright blue skies of this latest heat wave. If you’re going to flout the new water ban, at least do it early in the morning or late at night. The Owl has ceded (not seeded) her lawn to death but is unwilling to give up on some of the new bushes and trees planted in the last couple of years.

A brief downpour here and there is not going to save the trees–they are already suffering, and their moisture-absorbing smaller roots have died back, making new moisture absorption that much more difficult. So far in the Owl yard, I have lost one Alberta spruce and am fighting the good fight on my newest magnolia which has not yet decided if it shall live or die. One huge red oak soldiers on after we spent much time and effort pulling up turf grass and replacing it with leaf mulch at the suggestion of the world’s best tree specialists, the aptly-named Tree Specialists Inc. In general, the oaks are best prepared for drought with their deep roots–the bur oak planted three years ago happily waves its thick waxy leaves.

When you are out and about in Weston, think about watering the newest Tree Advisory Group planted trees, as well as the ones along Legacy Trail. Any Loraxes (you know who you are with your yard signs) should be out with their gallon jugs of water or even squeezy bottles and throw it on the hawthorns, persimmons and oaks all planted in the last two years along Legacy Trail. The Country School trees would love some love. Don’t get me started on the Town Center trees. Choose a tree. Adopt a tree. Love a tree and save a tree.

WFTA’s little cedar grove at Sears Land has buckets of water next to it and would love it if you would tip the water in. We’ve lost two, re-planted two and would have lost more if not for the daily loving care of a resident named Emily.

For more information about trees in drought, see this fantastic site by some schools in Alabama. True story.