Major Wheeler

The devastating fires continue, and the news is not good, but oddly, our skies on this side of the mountains have cleared and the air is nice enough to be outside. The winds blow, though, without cease. Spring is always windy in northern New Mexico, but this year it has been unrelenting.

And drought -- always a concern, but particularly bad this spring. We had a bit of snow in late March, but not a drop since. Over six weeks without rain and the air is barely registering any humidity and the winds blow. 

Despite all that, some things in my May garden look good. 'Major Wheeler' trumpet honeysuckle is having a moment.

It bloomed poorly last year, but has decided to flower well this spring in a season of wind and dry.

It's in the shade on this section of fence, but in the dry wind, that seems to suit. It will never be as hugely full and lush as the 'Major Wheeler' honeysuckle next to my sister's pool in Connecticut, but this is nice enough, no?

Trumpet honeysuckle -- Lonicera sempervirens -- does not flower well in shade. It needs full sun, at least 6 to 8 hours of sunshine. But after five years of experimenting in this arid 7,000 foot high climate, I have discovered that "full sun" in the high-elevation mountain west often means "shade". 

So this vine does well and flowers against a shady fence. Not every year (last year was a bust), but well enough in most years. 

A bit of bright in a fire-ravaged season around us. I am thankful for that.