What a heady brew of a day! A potent cocktail of rain, hail, sleet and sunshine, all washed down with a wind from the north west that could lift you off your feet. Unfortunately this wind, and the many others that have preceded it in the past few weeks, has caused much damage in the garden. The soft and spoilt foliage of evergreens has been scorched and disfigured, wet-footed shrubs and trees have been rocked on their soggy roots and newly emerging flowers discoloured and ripped from their boughs. So often the icy pair of frost and snow are demonised, but the evil duo of cold wind and persistent rain are just as worthy for a pantomime hiss. I am hoping that some of Max’s magnolia blooms will hang on long enough to reach their full potential. Since I started working in his garden, late last summer, I have been impatient to see this collection of trees in flower. It may be that this wind scuppers my wish. If so I suppose there is always next year, but that seems an awful long time to wait ……..
Marwood opened the gardens on Tuesday and a few hardy souls braved the weather. But Oh for some dry weather! Cold, dry and frosty is fine by me. We had an oak keel over yesterday (up past the Astilbe beds) it’s roots had been seriously undermined by the water constantly coming down from the surrounding fields. Will I see you on the 19th for the PH day?
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We are visiting on Sunday with Malvern Maid so will bring wellies! Yes we will be there on 19th 🙂
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I think wellies and a snorkel!
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Your scaring me – I’ve only got knee high wellies not waders!
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Don’t worry I will give you a piggy back 🙂
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The poor plants, I know what you mean, my penstemons look as if they have been fried to a crisp, I have not seen that down here before. I do hope some of those magnolia blooms open and look beautiful, another year is a long time to wait.
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In a couple of months we will have forgotten all about this and so (hopefully) will the plants 🙂
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I hate it most when bad weather destroys Magnolia flowers! Luckily there are species and cv. blooming at various times 🙂
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I would almost prefer to see the petals on the ground than discoloured and mangled on the tree. I am optimistic (as always) for more blooms 🙂
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There would be more for sure!
At our former place M.stellata would very often present like you described; needless to say I am not planting another one.
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It is very sad to see, magnolia flowers are very vulnerable to the weather.
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Unsettled weather here, too. Rain, wind, sun, then repeat the sequence. There is an ominous bulge where the north wall meets the ceiling. I’ll be calling a roofer first thing tomorrow morning.
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Nightmare, our house is like a sieve and no one can find the where the rain is coming in, and still we pay them …. I wish you better luck 🙂
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