Ode to Rain Garden Joe

Huge lavender panicles of flowers perch precariously atop a eight foot ladder of leaves after the heavy downpour last night. Slightly bowing under the weight of its massive rain drenched flower heads, this perennial on a dry day now reaches an easy 9 feet tall! Just after the first rain yesterday afternoon, the bees, joined by other intoxicated insects, were buzzing around the flower heads dizzy from the smell of nectar in the air. Even though the fragrant buds are barely open, the insects are like people waiting for the bakery doors to open on an early Sunday morning as the warm scrumptious aroma of fresh baked pastries wafts into the gathering early morning crowd. Joe's flowers really lure in the butterflies as well. Curiously, butterflies don't seem to appear until most of the flowers are open. A visit I anxiously look forward to each year.