It has been the most DRY and HOT summer we can recall, and it also took its toll on several plants, shrubs and tall trees. Georgia is kind of sub-tropic as it is at the same latitude as Tunisia in northern Africa but with some exceptions of course. We do get snow once in a while and frost and this summer did also surprise us. When we came home from a two-week trip to Europe, we counted 22 dead Leyland Cypress trees that lined our wood garden in the back and on the side. Quite shocking and we decided that we will not even replace those as they are over 15 years old. Nature sometimes takes a different course! We will have to adapt to it and make do with what is left. It could have been worse of course, there are other natural disasters with a lot more impact. Let me show you the walking trail through our wood garden where the dead ones are. Still standing but we will have to take them down one day, in the spring probably with some help.
It was hard to see them all brown after we got home. But for over two months no rain and temperatures of 40°C-44°C (104°F-111°F) did really scorch them to death. This is the walking trail in the back of our wood garden. It goes on like this with nothing but brown, dead Leyland Cypress, a total of 22.
This was on August 6, at 10:34 AM and the thunder-storms never got to us. No rain for about two months and no running water in the creek, just mud that got over grown by weeds. Ponds in the area were all dry and ours stayed full because of an underground spring that is feeding our pond.
Not a happy sight...
In the back you still see some dead Leyland Cypress but we also got some healthy trees left.
Barty our 7 year old feline followed me all the way, he behaves more like a dog than a cat...
Let's turn around and look down towards the house... This was on November 10, before the frost and already lots of leaves on the ground due to the dry summer. The tree to the right is a beech and it has not turned yellow yet. The ladder got used a couple of weeks ago by Pieter for pruning out all the dead limbs and also cutting the lowest limbs off, for more light and a better view.
But look, there is HOPE as I found some blooming Oxalis between the fallen leaves...
Maravilloso paisaje!!
ReplyDeleteLos colores de los arboles son magicos.
Un abrzo fuerte.
Veronica.
E' stata un'estate torrida e senza pioggia anche da me però per fortuna non sono morte le piante! Comunque hai in ogni caso un parco favoloso! Un abbraccio e buon weekend, Anna.
ReplyDelete;( it is sad when our gardens are affected by the elements.. but as you mentioned Mother Nature is in control. She takes BUT she also gives.. how wonderful to see Oxalis!!! A promise that beauty in nature is there to be found. Wishing you a loving week-end... stay safe and well ... many hugs and blessings, xo HHL
ReplyDeleteTriest, die dode bomen, in de natuur geldt nog altijd 't recht van de sterkste .... Hier zijn 2 volwassen eiken gesneuveld, en dat terwijl 't helemaal niet droog/warm was de afgelopen zomer.
ReplyDeleteè un parco meraviglioso!!!!!!!!!!! un abbraccio e buon fine settimana lory
ReplyDeleteWow! Those trees were so big and yet they dried up to a crisp. Very sad, but how lovely it is to see that oxalis poke its pretty little flowery head through the layer of leaves. Hope you have a great weekend. Tammy
ReplyDeleteO, wat erg van al die bomen.
ReplyDeleteJullie hadden het te droog en wij veel te nat. De laatste weken is het hier droog met het zonnetje en genieten maar van de zonnestralen.
Door te weinig zon zijn ze in de kas al in september gestopt met de komkommers en tomaten...
En ja, de buren hebben het naar de zin gehad. Ook mijn ouders en broer hebben het er nog steeds over dat zij meegekomen waren. De verrassing was gelukt.
Ik wens jullie een fijn weekend,
Sandy
Toch een prachtige tuin ondanks alles.. maar het zal je wel aan het hart gaan al die bomen .. jammer ...Ik had geen idee dat het zo warm en droog was waar jullie zitten !!
ReplyDeleteliefs en groetjes
bea
Dear Mariette,
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame when the weather has an effect on plants and trees.
Over summer here, we often have have plants die from a lack of water.
How neat your green house is and will be great for storing plants over the winter months.
Lovely to see the pretty colour of the Oxalis blooming.
Happy weekend
Hugs
Carolyn
Dear Mariette,
ReplyDeleteI'm disappointed in our bad weather
Hot and too many rains days that we having all the time.
It normally hot summer weather in here but never get used in these bad weather.
So far only pansies are doing very well in under the rose's plants just like your oxalis flower.
Actually we had a very wet summer here in New York....go figure...
ReplyDeleteLove,
Lorraine
Hallo liebe Mariette,
ReplyDeleteich danke dir für deinen Besuch auf meinem Blog.
Ich schreibe in deutsch, weil mein Englisch nur dürftig ist und die Übersetzung ziemlich miserabel.
Es ist erschreckend, wie die Natur in den letzten Jahren gelitten hat - und wir alle sind mitschuld -
da erfreut es das Herz, wenn man ein kleines Blümchen findet, dass sich mühsam hochkämpft -
ich glaube, dass letztlich die Natur uns besiegen wird - es wird höchste Zeit, dass wir alle umdenken - sonst zerstören wir uns selbst -
dabei ist die Natur so wichtig für uns alle - die wundervollen Bäume, die Leben spenden - die herrlichen Blüten, die uns erfreuen und vielen Tieren Nahrung und Unterschlupf bieten - all die Früchte, die die Natur hervorbringt -
ich liebe es, im Wald spazieren zu gehen und den ganz eigenen Geruch einzuatmen - dort ist es so friedlich und still -
liebe Mariette, ich wünsche dir diesen Frieden im Herzen - hab eine wundervolle Adventszeit und bleib gesund -
ganz herzliche Grüße - Ruth
i hate that you lost so many cypress trees. i've noticed that here as well in Texas. the severe heat and drought this year killed more fir trees than any other kind. some i thought would be gone sprang back after we got tiny bits of rain and cooler temps. but lots of brown pines here too. sad to see, but it is nature's way.
ReplyDelete