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There is nothing like a good thunderstorm for the garden. A hose or sprinkler could never equal the boost that a flashing, rumbling downpour can give a garden. The amount of rain is only part of it but even that often exceeds what we usually allot to our flower beds. Sometimes we water in the heat of the day and even out in direct sunlight and so much of the water evaporates but a good soaking rain goes deep down to the roots. It's wonderful.
Lightning, it's thrilling, sometimes scary but also amazing. It's like a big static shock, the kind you get when you touch a door knob in the winter. It's a release of electric charge. The energy from the lightning burst causes nitrogen in the atmosphere to combine with water and be changed into a form usable by plants. Then it's like it's raining down plant food.
I love walking out in the garden right after a rain. You can almost hear the roots sighing with relief or joy or both. The drops sit on the leaves or in the flowers. The soil is dark.
It continues dripping from the trees for some time afterward.Colors look more vibrant.
