Before & After the Ice

Take a look at the two photos below. They were taken from exactly the same location, just 17 days apart. So which one was taken first?


How about this?


Answer: the pictures with snow were taken on January 20th, and the ones without snow were taken today, February 6th. The bamboo you see (Phyllostachys rubromarginata) quickly sprang back up to its original form after the ice had melted.

You can see the same bamboo planting in the before & after shots below along with the Escallonia hedge, which I am pleased to say is acting much more resilient than last year.


My Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis) also sprang back to life as if nothing had ever happened. You might notice the artichoke leaves (Cynara cardunculus) next to the prickly pear (Opuntia) cactus were badly damaged, but it's to be expected in any winter. It's a perennial and will quickly shoot up to 6' in the spring.

A couple more shots: