((hugs))

It happens to us all I think, Evie.
Some on here have been totally wiped out in droughts, in hurricanes and fires. Some have had damage from cold snaps, freezes and late snows. Some have lost everything from tornadoes and hail damage. Several on here have survived floods and and then had to start over.

You just have to cry and then put your boots on and get to work and start over.

So, clip back the dead and badly damaged parts. Inspect your trees. Scratch a tiny nick in the stems and branches to see if they are still green inside. If they are, then they will regrow new leaves. Most plants are pretty resilient.

You have my deepest sympathies though. I can certainly empathize with you.

((hugs))

~Annie

Thanks schoolhouse! Annie, I needed that! It isn't so bad...guess a rough week at work coupled with not feeling so well...just not a good time to assess the damage in the garden. I felt better when I realized I can get some help (I'm so used to doing everything myself)and now it doesn't seem so overwhelming.

Thanks for putting it in perspective. I'm usually MUCH better at that, but I guess we all have our days :0)

Evie

Such a shame. I would find that very discouraging as well. I haven't had that kind of damage to the gar*den yet, but I can well imagine getting up one morning and finding that. A gar*den is so much work and you have to have so much patience to wait for pl*ants to reach a size where they will perform as you wanted them to. Hard to accept a sudden loss like that. Really though, the climate is changing so much. We've had crazy weather in my neck of the woods. Luckily it has been in our favor at the moment, but I'm expecting that won't always be the case. Sooner or later we're all possibly going to be dealing with the same thing.

I have to agree with Annie, that pl*ants are more resilient then we think. I wouldn't be surprised if some of your pl*ants come back and send out new growth.

pm2

I should dig up some pictures from our last tornado and especially the ice storm damage. Till yet we look like a war zone in the entire Ozark area during the winter when there are no leaves to hide the damage.

Remember, it could be worse.

Just start one bush at a time. That is what I do when I am faced with so much to be done that it overwhelms me.....or hire someone if that is feasible and will make you feel better.

Good luck; I do feel your pain.

It is rough to see damage to the garden especially shrubs and trees. I would tend to leave everything through most of this season to see if any of the stems put out new growth. I don't think I would have said this many years ago, but we had one experience and now I wait, wait, wait before I dig out or cut branches/stems back.

We planted a beautiful small blue spruce one spring. Within not too long every single needle had fallen off the tree. We figured it was surely dead and my DH wanted to rip it out and plant something else. I wanted to hold out to see what might happen. I figured for sure it was dead, but maybe stressed? I left it that entire year and it looked awful. Dead. Waited until the following spring and it put out all new needles. I would have never believed it if I hadn't witnessed it myself. The beautiful spruce still makes a statement in the yard.

"So much is damaged I don't even know where to start." Then don't! Hold out your hopes and give the shrubs a chance. They may really surprise you with some new growth.

Hang in there Evie. I agree with Thyme that sometimes things rebound unexpectedly. It may be disheartening to look at now, but give them a season to see what happens. Hope is good!

(((evie))) and wishes for a better week coming up.

Cynthia

Thanks for all your words of encouragement and advise. Yes, our weather has been changing noticeably the past few years. We have been low on rain and having increased severe weather. I watered well into fall to help protect the garden, but things will just happen. I'll have the arborist come look at the maple, he specializes in them--I'd probably just finish it off if I touch it! Well, it's a beautiful day today, it's suppose to be in the high 60s! I have much to be thankful for!
Evie

((((hugs))))
Many of us have been there, but that doesn't make it easier for you. When the Kybodo driver, thinking he was doing me a favour, almost completely destroyed my gar*den, I cried. Then I prayed for snow, so that I wouldn't have to look at it! lol. Next spring, I cried again. I would go out and just stare, not knowing where to start. Then a wonderful neigbour left a box of divisions, tubers, etc. on the fence post, I just just started again!! And you know, I had made a few mistakes the 1st time, so now I could correct them.

Nancy.

Thanks Nancy! I just came in after a few hours of being in the garden. The weather is beautiful today!!! I think our months of long gloomy days got to me. Just being out in the sun is the best medicine! I made many discoveries this morning...lots of flower buds on my delphiniums and anchusa I grew from seed last year. So excited to see them bloom! I'm back on track now :0)
Evie