Kay Hudson

When I mowed the front lawn a couple of weeks ago, I kept watch for hurricane lily stalks and didn’t spot a single one. The lilies are usually in full bloom by mid-September, but by September 15 this year not a single stalk had shown itself. I hoped our very dry summer hadn’t done them in, but since the original bulbs were planted before I moved into this house in 1976, they are clearly tough.

Last Friday my vigil was rewarded with the first few stalks, and by this morning the lilies were up in force, a few of them even beginning to bloom. Perhaps they were inspired by the generous rain we finally got last week.  They may be a week or ten days later than usual this year, but the lilies are always a welcome sign that the end of the long hot Texas summer is in sight. So this morning I gave my front lawn a poodle cut, being sure not to disturb any of the lily stalks.  Hopefully the lawn mowing season will be over in another few weeks, too

Here is the broadest cluster of stalks, just getting ready to pop.

And here are two of the first blooms.

Welcome back, Fall.