So the Head Gardener walked outside to water this morning and was met by this gruesome sight:
This Blackfoot Daisy was not merely healthy, but vigorous and thriving in the post of 2 days ago. (In the picture of the bed surrounding Smithley Rock, a portion of this plant is just visible on the bottom left.) Were the Head Gardener a cursing woman, her reaction would have probably been something along the lines of "what the bleep?" Especially given that not 6 feet away a fellow Melampodium continues to bloom itself silly.
For that matter, returning to the first picture, the small plant growing in the gravel just under the misbegotten Melampodium? That's a Blackfoot Daisy as well, that reseeded from the plant above.
As the plant continues its downward spiral, the Head Gardener is left wondering why, why, WHY? Did running one of the sprinklers in the back 40 cause this sudden and rapid decline? Does that mean running the other sprinkler in the back 40 this morning will consign the currently healthy Melampodiums to a similar fate? Can This Melampodium Be Saved?
The Dirty Detective is on the case.
This Blackfoot Daisy was not merely healthy, but vigorous and thriving in the post of 2 days ago. (In the picture of the bed surrounding Smithley Rock, a portion of this plant is just visible on the bottom left.) Were the Head Gardener a cursing woman, her reaction would have probably been something along the lines of "what the bleep?" Especially given that not 6 feet away a fellow Melampodium continues to bloom itself silly. 
For that matter, returning to the first picture, the small plant growing in the gravel just under the misbegotten Melampodium? That's a Blackfoot Daisy as well, that reseeded from the plant above. As the plant continues its downward spiral, the Head Gardener is left wondering why, why, WHY? Did running one of the sprinklers in the back 40 cause this sudden and rapid decline? Does that mean running the other sprinkler in the back 40 this morning will consign the currently healthy Melampodiums to a similar fate? Can This Melampodium Be Saved?
The Dirty Detective is on the case.
Comments
SJP, I do have a small dog but she usually does her thing on bare dirt. I think I've had these plants do this before. Maybe they just like to go out in a burst of glory (appropriate for the 4th).
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Looks like keen detective work by Annie has paid off.....
Sorry about your Melampodiums morbidity.
Gail
I keep trying though...I love these flowers! Good luck with yours!
Linda
I thought I would tell you that the Blue Bells are the greatest of cut flowers. I take them to the near by feed store, as the lady there loves flowers but is in ill health. They last two weeks in a vase of water, looking great the whole time. Bob
Thanks for stopping by!