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Landscape Design

Well, my garden WAS looking great for Graduation---

17 years ago

And then all HAIL broke loose.

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Shortly after 6:00 PM yesterday evening. That's right--Shortly after 6:00 PM on 06/06/06...was it six minutes past? I don't know--I didn't check. I have never seen such hail. It hailed for at least 15 minutes...and rained so hard at the same time it washed a bunch of stuff over the grates in our patio drainage. When it was safe to go out, we had to go pull the grates off. The water was SERIOUSLY cold...with hail floating on top. The GOOD news is--the grading and drainage work we had done two years ago WORKED. No water in the basement.

The bad news is...

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Is that not the saddest hosta you've ever seen? The rest of my front garden looks almost as bad. SO much for having it "Picutre perfect" for the HS Graduation party. Ah well--sometimes Mother Nature says "HA!"

What astounded me was that there were still piles of hail on the ground and deck 12:30 this morning. Six-and-a-half hours later!

melanie

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Comments (9)

deeje
17 years ago
Oh, that's enough to make you sick. I'm shivering just *looking* at that ice! I hope everything rebounds for you.
catkim
17 years ago
Oh, that hurts! But the graduation party will still be great fun, and the plants will recover. Most of your garden is still gorgeous, never fear.
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outsideplaying_gw
17 years ago
Ouch, Mel. Such a disappointment when you thought everything outside was looking so great. About 6 weeks ago we had 10 minutes of similar sized hail. The hostas and water lillies in the pond had looked soooo good. Just when all had recovered, we had another short hailstorm about 2 weeks later. Fortunately it was short and the water lily pads only bruised. Mother Nature is probably laughing at us all.

Be sure to have your insurance adjuster check for roof shingle damage. We have a bunch of neighbors who are getting checks for a new roof. Our architectural, 35-year guarantee shingles survived just fine as did another neighbors. Glad you are feeling stronger these days.
Elaine
Brent_In_NoVA
17 years ago
Ah yes...the dreaded date 6-6-6! I heard it mentioned on the radio a few weeks ago but then I forgot when the date actually happened. Things were pretty calm around here, but it looks like Lucifer made a few appearances in your area. I saw a posting on the Hosta forum (though it may not have been the GW forum) about a hosta garden that was completely torn to shreds by hail.

Your hostas will probably look like that for the rest of the year (though you could remove the worst of the leaves), but no need to worry. Your son will be the center of attention at the party and the torn leaves will give you something to talk about.

- Brent
miss_rumphius_rules
17 years ago
If you're not in a dry county, you know what to do to make a great party--for the adults that is! The kids won't care or notice as long as there's food!
Karen Mickleson
17 years ago
Oy, mel. Out of lurkdom to extend heartfelt anguish for you :-( I felt the same way when the first rose blooms were gorgeous and we got a late spring storm. No hail, but they were destroyed anyhow. I never warmed up to the argument that enduring such pain builds character, ha!

Soldier on, m'dear, towards your half empty nest!! I, too, am glad you're feeling better, if indeed you are?

Karen
mjsee
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks for all the sympathy. I'm really not all that upset--just shaking my head. My mom and baby sis are coming in from out-of-state--and neither has seen my garden since we built The Great Wall of Chapel Hill. I was so proud that I'd managed to shape it up (in 15 minute incrememnts!) in spite of my thyroid...

Hubris'll get you every time.

I knew y'all would understand! Oh, and there's STILL a pile of hail in the shade. I am astounded. It's 80+ here today!

melanie
barefootinct
17 years ago
Oh my gosh. Weird weather. Y'know, a while back someone on these forums asked about finding their hosta mysteriously shredded...was it a deer? a rabbit? slugs? I think we found the answer....it was a hail storm.

Yikes. Congrats to the grad and have a fun party. Everyone will have something to talk about, that's for sure.

Patty
mjsee
Original Author
17 years ago
Actually--when both the boys go off to college this fall I'll have an ENTIRELY empty nest.

I am feeling better---just not much stamina. Like I said--15-20 minute increments. It's actually pretty astounding what one can accomplish with an hour spread out over a day. For once in my life I'm AHEAD of the microstegium.

melanie

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