Horticulturist James Horton to discuss drought impact on gardens at Aldridge

James Horton, the city of Birmingham’s director at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, is scheduled to speak about the drought’s impact on gardens at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover on Wednesday.

He plans to speak to the Alabama Hydrangea Society at 1 p.m. The meeting is open to the public.

Despite an uptick in rain this month, the Birmingham-Hoover area is still considered to be in extreme drought, said Holly Allen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Birmingham.

Between Jan. 1-22, the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport received 6.18 inches of rain, which is 2.82 inches more than normal, Allen said. However, the Birmingham area ended 2016 with only 40.31 inches of rain for the year, which is 13.41 inches below normal, she said.

That means for the past year and 22 days, the Birmingham area is 10.59 inches below normal.

Lake Purdy, a major source of water for the Birmingham area is almost 10 feet below a full pool, or almost 55 percent full, according to the Birmingham Water Works.

Horton’s talk at Aldridge Gardens on Wednesday is expected to last about an hour. Aldridge Gardens is at 3530 Lorna Road.