South of Sunnyside

The tagline above reads "The grass is greener where the water is turned on." That’s my attempt at (very sober) humor, and is an allusion to the many yards around me that are no longer watered regularly.

Grass isn’t the only part of the lawn that’s affected when the water is shut off, but it’s the first to go; actually, we can see the signs of decay after only a week, maybe two, of summer weather. After six to eight weeks, the rest of the plants start to fade.

Kim keeps a single sprinkler running in the adjacent yard, but the perimeter plants—bushes and topiaries—are now showing signs of long-term neglect. The yard next to this one (opposite us) is fading much more rapidly, as our hose doesn’t quite reach it.

Can these plants be revived at this point?

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