When a Hailstorm Destroys Your Yard

Wednesday, August 8, 2012


Do you know how hard it was for me to get my front yard looking semi decent this spring / summer with a newborn to look after?

It was hard.

Luckily I had the help of Cooper's two grandmas who would watch him for little chunks of time so I could sneak outside to get my flowers planted and a bit of lawn work done.




My hydrangeas were looking fabulous.

My planters were overflowing.

My window boxes were looking darn good.

I was even going to write a post to show you the difference a month had made to the flowers in my planters and window boxes compared to the photos above.

And then, the most ridiculous hail storm of all time hit our little town last night. We were over at the Fixer Upper when it happened. The pizza guy had to take cover in the porch for awhile so he didn't get pelted by ice chunks.

Yes, that's right, ice chunks in the middle of August. 

Photo courtesy of M & B who live one street over.

When we drove up to our house my little heart just sank. Lawn - full of debris. Flowers - smushed.





I've been holed up in the house all day because I'm too afraid to go outside and see the damage up close. I know they're just plants (the perennials will grow back and annuals I can buy more of) but it still sucks.  

Hmpfh.

24 comments:

  1. oh no!!!! I'm so sad for you!! You worked so hard on that :(

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  2. omg i would have cried i might anyways, i just can't believe that damage!! i'm so sorry for u

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  3. Bummer! I'm so sorry this happened.

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  4. I am so sorry to hear that! Who would've thought a freak hail storm would hit in August! Many plants are hardy and can spring back from things like that. I hope yours bounce back quickly! :)

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  5. OMG NO WAY! that is so sad :-(

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  6. Oh no, Sarah! Wow! The damage is just gut wretching. I can't believe the amount of hail you guys got!!! The good thing is that we still have a couple months of growing season left, so your plants should bounce back in a couple weeks. :)

    xoxo laurie

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  7. Wow, what a hailstorm! So far that hasn't happened here in PA...I'd feel the same way though, I think some will spring back and it will be just as pretty.

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  8. those poor hydrangeas :(
    I would be sad as well, I hope they bounce back so you can enjoy that pretty garden real soon!

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  9. It is sad. When we had the bad storms here the end of June we all lost trees. Not only was that a mess there aer sticks everywhere. I don't even know where to start. There are trees still down in many yards. Then it was so stinkin hot that everything has dried up. I am ready for fall and some mums.

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  10. Hi there,
    You made me cry! How disappointing for you!
    Where in Canada are you that you would get hail like that? I'm in London and we haven't had any storms watches or warnings for at least two weeks.
    Maybe you could cut some of your hydrangeas to dry to remember how great they were.
    Take care and I'll be thinking of you and your garden,
    Cathy

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  11. When we had hail two weeks ago, my car was dented it came down so hard. On the bright side my hydrangeas and hostas have bounced back.

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  12. Oh no! I'm so sorry. Yours were looking gorgeous, mine are looking dried out! I think some more of that banana cake is in order! ;-)

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  13. Oh Sarah, that is a total bummer! I'm so sorry!

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  14. Oh my heart just broke for you...

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  15. I'm so sorry for you. Unfortunately, I have to say: I know how it feels.... but that's no help for you of course. Luckily, nature does recover eventually. Lots of patience is a good thing to have when you're gardener, believe me, I know. I've often thought of just giving up and let it all be, but I keep starting over and over and making plans and more plans. You'll see, you'll do just the same. Don't let that awful hail get the better of you.
    Bye,
    Marian

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  16. Hi Sarah,
    I know exactly how your feeling. We live in Ottawa and about 3 weeks ago parts of our beautiful city was hit hard. Our car suffered over $9,000.00 of damage. It was incredible to see 80% of the car commpletely dented from the hail and it even cracked the windshield in 3 places. It gave me a whole new perspective of the power that Mother Nature possesses. Sheila S.

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  17. Ohhh I'm so sorry. I've felt that. It does suck. Once you go out and tidy, you'll feel better and a good warm day will tuck things back up a bit. Hugs.

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  18. Crazy! Darn you Mother Nature! :)

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  19. So sorry! Your flowers were beautiful though!

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  20. Oh no, Sarah! That totally sucks, I'm so sorry! We got hail like a few weeks ago...WTF?! In the middle of summer? I thought it had to be cold?

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  21. Oh Sarah, SO sorry. We all feel your disappointment. I hope your car is OK-we had two cars get totaled years ago back in Indiana due to hail. Look at your sweet baby instead of the yard and hang in there...

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  22. Oh, Sarah! I gasped when I saw your photos! How devastating. I know exactly how you feel because I drove home to find that same carnage awaiting me after a hailstorm late spring/early summer two years in a row. My Siberian Irises were just destroyed. I had shown pictures of your beautiful garden and window box to my Mom and showed her today's pictures as well. I know they're 'just flowers' but we take such pride in the way the outside of our house reflects the people who live there. I hope you're able to salvage some of your hard work.

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  23. Sarah I know you are heart broken! I work so hard in my yard (even 37 weeks pregnant!) and can only imagine the heart break if that were to happen!! I live in Georgia though so I have to water my plants and lawn 24/7 to make sure they don't die! Hail is something I would never seen in August! lol I hope they recover easily and quickly! I am sure the hydragenas will pop back easily as they always do!

    Meggie

    P.S.- Cooper is the cutest! :)

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  24. I feel your pain! people laugh at how much I love my hydrangeas so when the weather decides to be uncooperative, its very depressing :(
    My endless summers have all been burned up in our 100+ heat/drought; my back yard annabelles, which were big and lovely like yours, have also been flopped over by one freak massive rain storm we had. Not to mention that one day I went out to water only to find that someone had dug up and stolen one of my incrediball hydrangeas from the side of my porch!!! who does that?!?!? I am now in the "there's always next year" mindset...

    BTW - I LOVE your house!!

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