It is a rainy day in the Centenary College arboretum, and we expect to have a rainy week ahead of us. So, what does that look like? If you are out for an exploratory walk, dressed in an appropriate slicker and boots, it can be quite agreeable to splash around in the puddles and listen to the flow of water and chirping birds. However, if your schedule doesn't allow for such leisure, the surroundings can feel quite dreary.
Below, we have a video that captures a look at water flowing through the arboretum. Centenary College does not have a flat campus; we have both gradual and steep slopes. On the western side of the arboretum, the slope is comparatively gradual, and in the video, we are standing towards the bottom of a hill where the water is collected in a narrow channel.
The laurel cherry (Prunus caroliniana) was selected as the focal point because last week we discussed this individual's small stature. We cannot say why it is so short. It grows in full sun, which might be too much sun, and sometimes it gets a lot of water, while at other times its location can be quite dry. As we see in the video, during rainy weather, a great deal of water flows past the laurel cherry. After the rain stops, this area might be wet for 24 hours and then quickly dry out, given hot weather conditions.
