Garden destroyed

Well, that's my gardening over for this year!!

Hamburg has just had the worst rain-storm in its history, we are pumping out both of our cellars as I write this.

Almost all of my perrenials have been, not only blown down but broken, my brug, of which I was very proud, as it's my first, and about to bloom, has been bent over in the middle to 90°, 90% of the large-faced Begonias, and smaller Dahlias have either broken, or lost most of the leaves, all Monardas gone, only 1 phlox left (from 7), all Amaryllis broken,Lilies wiped out ......etc, etc..

It was such a beautiful day up until 5:30 pm, then the wind and rain started with such a force, that I could hardly get the door open to recover some things from the yard.

The last rain was bad enough, it destroyed about 50% of what had been growing till then, but this one today was the Daddy of them all. Hamburgs worst ever rainstorm.

Oh well, at least I'll have more time for DG as from now;-)

*GUTTED*

Wintermoor

Oh Wintermoor -

My most sincere condolences.

Here, we've already had two major typhoons, and now a heat wave - but were forewarned, and avoided the worst. But a sudden torrential downpour with gale force winds? - what can you do?

Stiff upper lip. Clean up, prop up, and look on to next year.

In spirit right there next to you, helping to drain the cellars...

Thanks Loph,

Och, when the day brightens up tomorrow, it might not look too bad, and the good thing about this is that I can start designing the garden for next year. Shame though, I was really looking forward to it, as this is the first year, http://davesgarden.com/contest/2002/landscape/viewbyuser.php?user=Wintermoor , and wanted to see just how the place looked in full bloom.

Thanx for the condolences, but it will be sleeves up an' attem!!!

Wintermoor

Oh, Wintermoor - I'm so sorry. Wish I could pop over and help you clean up - I surely would if I could. Maybe we can smuggle you some seeds for next year's garden, to help ease the pain...

Thanx go_vols, but I think if anyone sent me seeds at the moment I would eat them (not the person, the seeds);-)

It's getting too dark to see anything anymore, so I'll have to wait and see what it looks like tomorrow, it isn't a happy sight at the moment though :-(

The Fire Brigade and the Civil Engineers have called a state of emergency, as they reckon 75% of all cellars are under water, and the Underground was stopped for 90 minutes, due to flooding of tunnels.

Seemingly, according to the tv, the water was spouting up to 6 feet in the air, out of the drains. I wonder what the rats did???

All the best

Wintermoor

So sorry for your loss. My first year too, and I get upset when an animal steps on or eats one of my 'babies'.
You sound like a 'real trooper' though, someone who picks themselves up, dusts themselves off, and starts all over again! Keep looking for survivors, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Thanx Celia,

If I find anything near survival tomorrow, I'll jig around like a loony.
I'm interested to see though, how brugs grow almost horizontally, that may even be a newbie for the brug forum ;-)

Thanx again

Wintermoor

The rats "hung 10" (surfed with their toes hanging off the edge of the surfboard)! I'm so sorry to hear about this storm damage to your garden, Wintermoor. I just saw your landscape photo page and you'd really turned that nook around in a year's time. Terrible thing for a storm to be so bad it pummels a seemingly sheltered area like that. Gosh!!

Hi GW,
I was imagining the rats, at the top of the fountains rolling around, and doing wee tricks, but 'hangin 10' is also a possibility.

I'll have the place back looking spick & span before you can say er.... I can't think of anything long enough ;-)

All the best

Wintermoor

Wintermoor

A similar thing happened in Lucerne a few years ago (freak storm) and a friend's garden was decimated - a lot of it regrew , far more than she thought at first - so keep hoping!

Nice to know that you have some true northern grit, even if you are from north of the border!!!

Thanx Gerddi,

I've learned my whole life, that the further North one goes, the people have more grit..... I was born on the Island of Skye ;-)

*Gritty* :-P

Wintermoor

I'm so sorry, Wintermoor!! Bless your heart!! Oh, I wish I could just pop over to Aimee's, pick her up and come over to help you clean up (with plants in tow, of course). I spent all year turning a sweet little area with trees and a picnic table into a nice "Beergarten" only to see it all swept away by a freak flood when our dam up in the pasture broke, so I kind of know how you feel.

BUT it's a great idea to use this time to start planning next year's garden! And I'll bet you'll be surprised what's still hanging in out there. Let us know what pops back up in the next week or two. :)!!!

oh so sorry to see your wonderful garden in such a mess :( but, if you can turn an empty area into such a spectacular flower paradise in just one year!!!!!then it's look-out GARDENS AWAYYYYYYYY :)

so sorry. I'd be weeping for a good 24 hours, at least you have your chin up. hoping for miracles tomorrow.

You did a marvelous job, Wintermoor, no one, and nothing can take that away from you!! You just might be amazed at what that Brug can still do. They love lots of water, and are super easy to root, too. So, Chin up Lad, tomorrow is a new day, and with blessings from above maybe more of your little darlings have survived than you thought. Nature can sure do some awesome things.

"eyes"

Thanx Wingnut, Thanx Tootsie,

I'm now starting to get excited about how it will look next year, I think I'll put a cover over the whole place so it can't get rained on again ;-)

I'll probably get out in the morning just to find the slugs have gobbled the rest up.

Wintermoor

So very sorry to hear what happened. Here's hoping more things made it than you know. You have a full time job for awhile, pumping out and cleaning.

Good luck!

Thanx Hibiscus,

I hope so too, that more has survived.

The pumps are doing fine, but as were pumping out, there is still water coming in... it's still bucketing down here,and there is a serious leak somewhere.

All the best

Wintermoor

Wintermoor - I would be there in a minute to help you clean up, and re-plant. I am so sorry to hear about your gardening woes...

can I send you anything? I have tons and tons of seeds, let me know when you are ready to face that challenge. (wish I could send you some plants....I have quite a bit I need to thin out

good luck to you

Likewise, Wintermoor

if you need any seeds, let me know and I'll supply what I have.

Quinies indeed!!!!!!!!

Thanx Pebble,
I know you would be here in a shot, (it'd give you a wee chance to talk to my Turkish neighbours);-=

I'll check tomorrow about what's still there, my seed tray was washed out as well, and all of my wee plants washed away somewhere.

All the best

Wintermoor

Wintermoor...So sorry to hear about your garden. I know I would have just sat down and cried. Several years back a hail storm stripped all the leaves off my impatients and I know how I felt with just that. I can't imagine having my whole garden wiped out.

Hopefully you will find many survivors.

RE. the rats---My first thought was, hope the rats knew how to swim. Second thought...What a way to rid the sewers of rats.

Hang in there. Sounds like you have a good attitude. It'll be even more beautiful than before.

ohh wintermoor - I feel your pain.....
and yes, it would be fun to chat with your Turkish neighbours....

I hope you are pleasently surprised and a lot of your plants will survive...

you just ever know

Oh no so sorry to see your loss plants and let me know if you would like to have some seeds. =) I hope you feel better today.

Thank you Ladies All,

I feel a lot better knowing that this sort of thing can happen any day, and if I think I'm a gardener, or wannabe, then I have to take this with the good (whenever that will happen);-)

Thank you all for the seeds offers, maybe I'll be back to you about that someday ;-P

Thank you all

Wintermoor

Awww Wintermoor,

I supposed it solved the droopy Freesia problem ;)

Seriously, when you wring the garden out let me know. If I can give you any help I will.

Thanks Baa,

the Freesias are all the rage now, all of the other plants just wanted to look like them ;-)

Thanks for your offer of help, why don't you come over and wring the garden out, and I'll make us a wee cuppa.

*Generously*

Wintermoor

If you ready about the seeds just email me to send me your addy. =D

Thank you REDROSE,
that is very kind of you, I will tell you later,

Thank you again

Wintermoor

LOL Wintermoor one day I'll come knocking on your door for that cuppa ;)

Bring the bootees

;-)

Wintermoor

the right word for the time you spent cleaning up is supercalafragilisticexpialidostious. Not sure of the spelling, but it's from the Mary Poppins movie.
I still have a lot of relatives living on the Atlantic coast of North Carolina on a little long skinny island called Wrightsville Beach. My aunt and grandmother were big gardeners and the hurricanes used to wipe them out regularly. Most of the time salt water would cover the entire island from the ocean to the sound, so if the wind and rain didn't get the plants, the salt did. They never gave up.

What a shock for you. That is just terrible. I would be devastated if that happened to me..............I wish you lived here for then I would give you some cuttings. Can you cut your brugmania and save a piece to root? Try not to be discouraged, next year your garden will no doubt be even better!

This happend to me a couple of years ago,but being mainly a veggie gardener,it devistated my seed production. I was heartbroken,but believe it or not,I did get enough of a harvest for seeds for the next year.The garden wouldn't win any beauty contests,but produced anyway.

When you can,go out,cut back and take cuttings.This should help keep down disease by removing the damaged foliage.We have totally different climates,so you'll have to wait till spring to see what happens,but most will survive. You'll just have to let them start growing from scratch again.

The good thing is...you've found DG and that means you can start planning with us what you'll want in your new garden...and here we'll be to send seeds and whatever we can to help you.And when your new garden blooms,you'll see all of your friends in the flowers that they sent.It will give you a chance to change whatever you want."When life gives you lemons...make lemonade'(although in this case,I think vodka laced might soothe a little better)

Ohhh Wintermoor, So very sorry about your flooding and your garden. It was getting so pretty but now you can plan and plot what you want to change next year and see what suprises you with life after a few days or weeks. I don't have many seeds here but if I do have anything I am more than willing to send them to you when you are ready.
(((((((Wintermoor)))))))) Wish I could help you pump and scrub your basement since I am experienced in that. Lani

Oh Wintermoor, how heartbreaking! I am so sorry. Hopefully things aren't totally ruined and will either perk back up this year or come back strong next year.

I thought my gardens, car and both houses were going to get trashed last night. About 11:30 I heard Ping! Ping! Ping! and it was hailing. Thank goodness it didn't last long. I've only found a few partially shredded things today.

I really feel for you. I know you must be very discouraged.

This message was edited Thursday, Aug 1st 8:36 PM

Well said Melody. Wintermoor how awful. Good luck when it stops raining.

I'm sorry too - I would still be crying! I wish I could find some sort of joke to cheer you up - we will all be thinking of you the rest of the season. You might be surprised how much you can save tho - if you can find your plants, maybe some good new potting soil can pull some of them out of this.

You did have such a beautiful little nok, at least you have your pictures and memories. Good luck.

Oh Wintermoor, I'm so sorry, but the weather is doing anything anywhere.
What can you do? the same that we all do, start all over again and remember I'm helping you , beside you with good wishes and if I could I'll be there too.
If I can help in anyway, LMK, otherwise know that I'm sending you my very best wishes!!!!

Bon courage!

Wintermoor, I feel so badly for you. I've never experienced a storm of those proportions, but even losing a small amount of flowers can make one physically sick. The good thing about the perennials is that they should recover for next year. What a shame. If I could help you, I sure would. Even your brug will recover. Hang in there Wintermoor, at least you have your home and your health. Time and a bunch of bucks or good trades can replenish the flower beds. Thinking of you,

Shirley