Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Missing Bark

Winter has a way of taking a toll on us all!
I am missing bark - from my garden shrubs and from old girl M'J.
With the snow melting I'm noticing the damage left behind by this long snow covered season. 

This is a beautiful evergreen shrub that welcomes you as you walk the around the pond and is under the tea room window.



It seems as well as fairies the gardens are overrun with mice and moles and they needed something to eat this past winter.  


Notice the one branch that was out of the snow survived and held onto it's leaves like a cat holding a kitten by the neck. I think this is too far gone to recover.  That isn't all I noticed, come lets take a walk.

This is a beautiful red Rhododendron that lives behind the pond just under a massive Purple Lilac Tree


However this is what the mice did to it this past winter and I'm afraid I'll not be able to save it either.
I have a couple of things I'm going to try, like painting the lower bottom branches - but there is another solution to this problem, come and check it out.


I'm sure I'm not the only one with this sort of damage to their precious shrubs and bushes.  I can't imagine what is left of all the bulbs either. 

Cleaning away some Winter debris in the garden yesterday I also noticed all 5 of my Clematis have been eaten off at the root.  
I found myself sitting on the wet ground crying thinking of all I've lost lately.
M'J my garden buddy and now 70% of my garden.


M'J will be missed
~00~ Grandma 

8 comments:

BluMoon said...

Cindy what a shame the snow has done considerable damage! We have been lucky as far as snow goes but half the country has been under water for weeks, we live on a rock so no floods for us and the winter has been kind, with bulbs up and Magnolia'a and Camellia's full of flower. I hope your gerden recovers very soon.
Jackie

Pamela Gordon said...

Glad you are back to blogging Cindy. I've missed you. I'm really sorry about your sweet dog, M'J. They are such faithful companions and like family members. That is a lot of damage from mice and moles. I didn't notice any shrubs damaged that way yet but the moles tore up part of the lawn. I hope your rhododendron and lilac survive the damage! They certainly were gorgeous last summer. Hugs. Pam

Country Gal said...

It had been such a harsh winter . I am soo sorry about MJ they truly are our best friends . Hope your plants survive the damage . Thanks for sharing . Have a good week !

Janus said...

I'm sorry for all your losses recently, Cindy. We had bark chewed and bulbs eaten more than usual because of the hard winter but nothing as extreme as what happened to you. But remember when hail appeared to destroy your garden in Kars but then it recovered remarkably well? Perhaps more of your garden will survive than you fear. Mother nature is a persistent cuss.

Angela said...

Sorry to hear about this sadness- Hopefully things will be better than expected so that you don't lose too much of your garden- you just never know...

Denise said...

Oh I'm so sorry about the loss of Your beautiful dog.I have never lived where it snows,sometimes I forget how it destroys all the vegetation.That would be disappointing I'm sure.The beauty of the snow is all I ever think about,never living in it.I know there must be a lot of trouble too that I forget about.

Lynne said...

Cindy, Cindy . . . I am just getting back after being away, please send me a note and tell me about MJ . . .
So sorry . . .

The winter was dreadful on our plantings too . . .YIKES!

Vee said...

Oh I am so sorry to read of the loss of your beautiful companion and all the heartbreaking losses in the garden. It was a brutal winter and I am glad that it is gone. I hope that perhaps many of your plants will somehow revive. I am worried about two azaleas and two rosebushes, but we shall see. Take care of yourself and feel better soon.

My Sourdough English Muffins