The U.S. and many other parts of the world have suffered through an abnormally hot summer this year. If the heat wave continues, climatologists at the National Climatic Data Center say 2010 is on track to become the hottest year on record. July was the second hottest month since record keeping began a century ago, topped only by the searing heat of July 1998. The heat has certainly taken its toll on plant life. Some trees are turning early and already starting to drop their leaves. Grass that isn’t watered frequently has gone dormant, turning lawns a dry, dusty brown. Garden plants are wilting, leaf edges curling and burning black under the hot sun. The beautiful white balls of Hydrangea (Hydrangea) blossoms protrude from leaves that have turned a brittle brown. ...read more