Following the prolonged dry period, the rain that we are experiencing now is a welcome shock to plants. The Paeonia lutea reacted to the additional weight of this rainwater lying on foliage by folding over to reveal the attractive silver reverse. With raindrops and changing light it is a transient feature to be appreciated. In other cases the weight of water on foliage caused limbs to bear down with the weight. It is on occasions such as this that pathways and boundaries require checking. There is nothing worse than brushing through foliage to have a heavy drenching of residual rain cascade down. It is even worse for a visually impaired person. This is the ideal time to instigate seasonal pruning to prevent this scenario. The attached image of Sorbus, laden with berries illustrates how easily pathways become obstructed where late summer growth and the pressure of rainfall combine.  An increase in wind speed when foliage is laden with rainwater may cause twisting and splitting of limbs. The large limb that twisted on the Aesculus sp on the hillside is a good example of summer damage that can occur in a tree collection.

Paeonia lutea

Sorbus sp foliage dropped in wet weather