Weather winter 2011-12

[Lina Hesseling]

We do have a problem with the heavy rain. Today people are checking the dikes in the north east of The Netherlands. Friday will be the worst day, because the wind will change direction.

Lina.

[Maggi Young]

I contacted John Mitchell of RBGE , who tells me that " the Garden took a hammering - woodland garden devastated -  about 8 trees down. (I'm) not happy feel - sorry for all the staff's effort put in to make it look good and one day it is all destroyed we have about 3 to 4 weeks of work just to clear the damage then we can properly assess the damage to the plants."


A sad tale.

[Peter Maguire]

I suppose that's referring to the damage in Edinburgh, which sounds bad enough, but their other three gardens (Dawyck, Logan, and Benmore) are all in the area the storm passed through and two of them are on the west coast.

I would guess that they could be even worse off? 

[Maggi Young]

Yes, I would expect that the damage on the south west will be ghastly, Peter.

[chasw]

Really bad here at the moment,I think we have lost a few roof tiles

[angie]

It was windy here in St Austell last night but our accomadation was right at the top of the town. Away to the Eden project today. Hopefully it will be wind free and dry 
Hope there wasn't too much damage with everyone.

Angie

[David Nicholson]

I went to St. Austell once but it was closed

[Stephenb]

Another report from Edinburgh  - even worse...

http://www.cityplanter.co.uk/news/gale-force-winds-cause-major-damage-to-royal-botanic-garden-edinburgh

[Maggi Young]

It was windy here in St Austell last night but our accomadation was right at the top of the town. Away to the Eden project today. Hopefully it will be wind free and dry 
Hope there wasn't too much damage with everyone.

Angie

I'm just glad you got there safely. 

[Lina Hesseling]

Maggi, how is your garden doing? Do you have damage? I hope not. After seeing the pictures of the fallen trees in the RBGE, I was thinking of your glasshouses.

In my region we have a problem with the water that cannot get into the northsee, because of the wrong position of the wind and the very high waterlevel. People are checking the dikes day and night. Since 1998, when we had the same problem, they made areas where they can let water in. This is used now and can give just the little extra time we need.

Lina

[Maggi Young]

Lina, we have been very fortunate here in the North East to have escaped the worst damage.

The central belt and south west of Scotland have been the worst hit. Edinburgh, a windy city at the best of times was hit by the worst winds of over 100 miles per hour... so  you can see how the RBGE suffered so much damage. Seeing that and the destruction in Norway the other week, I cannot believe how lucky we have been here. The last storm in December brought down bits of houses and many trees but this week we have had few problems.

The fear of flooding must be horrible.

[mark smyth]

we were hit by high winds again over night.

Another question - why do the high winds always strike at night?

[Lina Hesseling]

Here I can show you a picture of my friends garden after it was floded.
It only lasted 1 day, so her snowdrops survieved. Now they have to work hard to restore the small stream and the paths on both sides of it again.
http://www.tuinfleur.nl

Lina.

[Hoy]

Maggi, how is your garden doing? Do you have damage? I hope not. After seeing the pictures of the fallen trees in the RBGE, I was thinking of your glasshouses.

In my region we have a problem with the water that cannot get into the northsee, because of the wrong position of the wind and the very high waterlevel. People are checking the dikes day and night. Since 1998, when we had the same problem, they made areas where they can let water in. This is used now and can give just the little extra time we need.

Lina

Yes, it is a saddening story from RBGE. But the bright side: Now they have the opportunity to plant new plants! I am hoping for some of my trees to fall or else I have to do it myself

Lina, do you live in that region of Holland that actually is below the sea level? I'am glad my house is above

[Lina Hesseling]

Yes I am below sealevel.
About 200m from our house is a canal where the waterlevel is very high.
The problem is not the sea, but the rainwater that has to go to the sea. The high level of the water inland and wind coming from north/west makes it impossible to let water out to the sea. Latest news is, it will get beter tomorrow. Then they can let water out.

Lina.