Florence and Beyond

We watched with great anxiety as Florence was predicted to make a direct hit on Hillsborough and felt a sense of relief as she changed course and headed south.  Winds and showers from the storm arrived on Friday morning, September 14, and quickly brought down one of Hillsborough’s oldest and largest oaks.  It fell across the power lines and sent the town into a power crisis.  Because the tree was too large for the town crew to handle, we remained without power for the day.  Montrose was fortunate to have a generator so life went on, without helpers but with little disruption, inside the house.  We thought the worst was over until Sunday, when the winds picked up and heavy rain fell without pause.  The Eno River overflowed; paths through the woods became waterways; but our major trees remained upright.  The gardens were littered with branches of every size and we continue to pick them up, but we believe we were fortunate.  Cyclamen bloom as if nothing happened.  Sternbergias opened their flower buds, and most of the colchicums look fresh and unblemished.  We cut back the damaged perennials in the sunny gardens and we almost look as if Florence never appeared here.

Nyssa sylvatica ( Tupelo or black gum tree)

Sternbergia lutea