In the Trees

A storm swept through the garden last Sunday, shredding young leaves and flower buds without mercy. No wind, fortunately, but the pea-sized hail bombarded the garden for at least 20 minutes, leaving the lawn a flooded mess and many of the garden stalwarts in a shocked, tattered state.

The  Pacific Waterleaf, native to the PNW, took the brunt of the storm and much of it was reduced to a lacy pattern.

The Hydrangeas, already weeks behind last year’s flowering schedule were battered, the leaves torn in half or severely pockmarked.

Even the tough corrugated-leafed Big Daddy Hostas were ripped and masticated by the hail.

Amazingly some plants made it through with little damage. My new favorite young rhododendron continues to put on a good show, the blooms quite resilient to the storm, the leaves not so much.

A young Geum coccineum “Borisii” also escaped the worst and is now adding some fiery orange cheer in the sunniest part of the garden.

And a glossy leafed, first-time bloomer, is providing some interest beside Tlaloc, “God of the front garden”. Wish I knew what this plant is, the tag is long gone

Yes, I’m fortunate. The damage could have been much worse.