Drought again

The garden is a confused as I am with the seasons. Sycamore is turning autumn and Magnolia starting to drop leaves. 

Now Magnolia in particular, cannot complain of drought. In her position, she spreads her branches over my new shrubbery, which I have kept well watered. Anyway, the willow family, planted along our never failing stream have not suffered at all and yet they are becoming a golden cloud waving along the gully.

But I am still in summer clothes. I am even going sleeveless and exposing my cellulite to keep cool. Last night was so hot I almost turned on the fan. 

I think that worst of all is the dryness, the dust everywhere.  There’s something about rain. It is way more than moisture. It seems to contain a life force. No matter how much I water my garden, the plants survive OK, but they never thrive and prosper till it rains and then the garden is flush with growth within a few hours.  I’ve tried watering with sprinklers so the leaves are washed as well – as close to rain as I can get but it just doesn't hack it.

Look at poor Satsuma, she is in a wilt.  I am giving her a drink as I write but I suspect a more sinister origin.  Borer is a constant companion to citrus here.  I suspect she has a bit of a dose but she'll be right.  A bit of judicial pruning usually fixes that and the prognosis is good.

According to http://www.sanctuaryweather.co.nz/raintrends.php the year to date rainfall for Auckland is 74mm, the average year to date is 299mm.  That is a drought.