As a seasoned gardener in the Cévennes, I've seen it firsthand: episodes of extreme rain dumping eight months' worth in just days. After such deluges, the key is not to rush.
Your garden needs time to recover. Avoid working the soil or even walking on it—water must flow freely, and compacting the ground now would cause long-term harm.
With All Saints' Day approaching and frosts on the horizon, use this downtime wisely. I've learned the hard way: forgetting dahlia colors leads to regrets. As the first frost nears, I'll dig them up for a cool, dry storage spot. Now, I'm prepping labels—light pink pompom, giant orange with yellow heart, pure white star—ensuring next summer's beds dazzle with tasteful variety and a touch of originality.
Sharing collection irises with my neighbor? A quick marker note: purple, big yellow. Same for night owl seeds—label colors to dodge mix-ups or natural hybridization. Mendel's laws be damned; a yellow foot yields yellow offspring!
Sowing beans and peas? Tricky after the washout—radish seedlings gone (tops make excellent soup!), turnips afloat, carrots vanished, slugs eyeing cabbages. A sad sight, but catalogs inspire dreams of thyme-scented flower gardens. No cause for alarm, just patience.
Vidourle river overflowing its banks
