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This scene has featured in a number of posts over the years. The snake bark maple died in 2015, and has since been home to hanging baskets and climbing plants watched over by a wicker owl.
Sadly the avian guardian could not protect the living monument from last night’s severe winds.
The tree, complete with adornments, lay across the Brick Path this morning. Crashing down along the West Bed have come beams bearing a clematis Montana now lying along the West Bed. Fortunately, the blue solanum has a stout stem which looks to be intact.
This pot containing a red hydrangea had stood on the ground beside the Oval Path across which it now lies.
The rose Summer Wine has been freed from its moorings at the entrance to the Rose Garden, and will need a new set of stays.
Although much calmer this morning, winds have picked up again during the day, preventing any possibility of sensible recovery work. No real harm appears to have been inflicted.
Elizabeth was out this evening, so Jackie and I finished her delicious Pilley Celebration Chicken dish with Jackie’s special savoury rice and tender green beans. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I finished the Fleurie.
I’m glad the damage wasn’t worse
Thanks a lot, Alex
It could’ve been a lot worse, Derrick. Hope the plants survive!
It could, indeed, Mike. Thanks very much
I am sorry you lost that beautiful tree, but hopefully, nothing else will happen, and you will be able to proceed with repair work, once the weather improves.
Thanks very much, Dolly. It’s not too bad
Thank G-d!
It is a loss to the garden, but I know the Head Gardener and her trusty assistant will save what remains!!
Thanks very much, GP
I suppose it is nature’s way of pruning, but none the less scary for that. I’m glad no major harm was done. It’s been very windy here today too.
Thanks a lot, Susan. Jackie is now seeing it as an opportunity
Oh, no! Glad there was no real damage. But still! Hope the wind dies down soon
Much quieter today, Laure. Many thanks
Oh dear!
Thanks a lot, Leslie
Did you hear the tree fall? That’s scary. I’m glad there was no damage to your house.
Thanks very much, Merril. We didn’t hear the tree. Fortunately it is only a small one
Oh, I’m so sorry. You say no real damage, but that looks like a lot of work. I do hope all the plants survive the tumult. It’s good it’s not the heat of the summer, anyway. Perhaps gentler temps. will help the healing process.
We are going to start on it today, Jodie. Many thanks
: )
UK folk seem to be staggering from extreme weather event to the next, Derrick. I hope there are now calm times ahead.
Thanks very much, Jane. It should change next week
My initial giggle of joy at seeing the owl in his tree quickly became an ‘Oh no!’ of horror as I read he has lost his home. Is he himself alright? Did he survive unscathed? I see no sign of him amongst the wreckage so am hopeful – but concerned. Those winds must have been strong to overturn already grounded pots of plants. I hope the winds become calmer soon Derrick and there isn’t too much repair work to carry out. xo
Very many thanks, Pauline. We haven’t tackled it yet. Winds have dropped today, rain due this afternoon. X
Sorry to hear of the maple toppling over. How does Jackie feel about the damage to her garden?
Not happy. She couldn’t go out and look at it yesterday, but is feeling stronger today. Thanks very much, Helen
I’m sure she must be very dismayed!
Now seeing it as an opportunity 🙂
That’s good 😊
I heard that Ireland was hit by a big storm. Looks like it made it’s way farther east. We’ve just experienced some very high winds but everything is still in it’s place. More to come later this evening. Walking was a bit scary. I tried to steer clear of large tree limbs. Hopefully you’ll be able to clear up the damage quickly and pray that you won’t see any more for a long time to come.
It won’t be too bad, Carol. Thanks very much.
You get storms. We get cats and dogs (not of the rainy kind) wrecking bits of garden. Either way, it is always distressing.
Invading animals would make me mad. Thanks a lot, Leslie
Ouch! That hurt.
Thanks very much, Rosaliene
You do seem to get stormy weather quite enough; such an ordeal to deal with– but, hopefully, things ca be put back in order soon.
Yes. Not too bad, Cynthia. Thanks very much
Sorry to hear this, Derrick. Storms certainly have a mind of their own, don’t they. We had quite a bit of water damage from Hurricane Florida. The ceiling over our bay window was like a water fall…waiting on the insurance adjuster to pay us a visit.
Thanks very much, Jill. Our storm hardly seemed worth mentioning in the light of yours
Sorry for the loss of your tree, but your garden still looks beautiful, even amidst the damage. What a gorgeous space.
Very many thanks, Judy
Oh my dear Derrick. I’m so sorry your lovely garden suffered damage from the storm and hope that the day’s weather did not do further damage. Love and hugs, N 🙂 <3 xoxo
Many thanks, Natalie. It won’t be too bad. We should be able to tackle it today X
Oh I hope you did get it tackled today❣️😊🌹xo
We did, thanks again X
Oh great!😊❤️
It is saddening to see the petite tree prostrated like that. The owl looks spooky: it gives me a feeling it is somehow communicating with the aliens somewhere out there. Perhaps, aliens get to read your blog as relayed by the owl?
In that case he’s done for 🙂 Thanks very much, Uma
So sorry to hear about the tree and other wind damage. 🙁 Wind and storms are so powerful and do their own thing. 🙁
I love the owl! I’ve always been fascinated by owls. We get them in our trees in the summer and they who-who at me! 😀
HUGS!!! 🙂
Thanks very much, Carolyn. There must be a hundred owls hidden in the garden – and a few dragons 🙂 X
Oh, what fun! 🙂
Sorry to hear about your garden Derrick. Oh, Jackie has a lot to do with your help of course.
Thanks a lot, Arlene. In fact it wasn’t too bad
Derek, you have a beautiful garden and it’ll recover from the storm damage with your TLC.
Very many thanks, Sheree
I hate it when trees come down. We have branches littering the place but I haven’t ventured into the wood yet. It’s been pouring with rain all day here today 🙁
Here, too. We are tidied up now. Hope your wood is OK. Many thanks, Jessica
Do stay safe! It sounds very scary. That coming from a woman that lives in earthquake country! Hope the weather eases up and Jackie can repair everything!
All done now, Gael, thanks very much
Lots of work. Glad it is not too bad.
Many thanks, Sherry
Sorry to read about the damage that the storm did to your garden Derrick. Storms can cause havoc, we lost a huge pine tree last winter in the garden. It is not a pleasant feeling. Wish you the best with the clearing up.
All done now, Agnes. Not as bad as your pine. Many thanks
🙂
I am sorry to see the storm damage, Derrick and Jackie. I hope the rest of the season is kinder to you and the gardens.
Many thanks, Lavinia. All now recovered
Looks like a lot of cleanup work ahead.
It wasn’t too bad, Lindsey. Thanks very much
Thankfully, it appears as if the damages were limited. Hope all is well
All OK now, Drew. Many thanks
Plenty of time to fix things when the weather clears. 🙂
Yep. Thanks very much, Widders