Bart, how's your weather? Plus the delta.

last year

I see on Repubblica that both Emilia-Romagna and Toscana are code red for flooding and landslides. I'm not surprised, considering that it's sodden here, with standing water on the ground, though the worst seems to lie east of us, not here in Piacenza. But how about you?

For the last several days, when it wasn't raining, I've been down at the bottom of the property at the first ditch, where a few years ago I started turning the ditch into, I hoped, a delta. It certainly has worked: the onetime two-three ft. wide ditch at the crossing point is now about fifteen feet of muddy silt and flowing water, and below the crossing where the roses are, it's even wider. The level of the ground has risen, too, being ten inches, perhaps a foot, higher than it was. I know this because the pipe that used to let the water pass below the crossing point is now completely buried. The place is an absolute mess of nettles, Bermuda grass, and assorted other weeds, but I've been putting it into order. The roses, once-blooming old kinds, seem able to tolerate being ankle-deep in mud and flowing water; I'm keen to see how the flowering goes this spring. I hope the roses continue undiscouraged. I'm a little unsure about 'Ypsilanti', that glorious creature, but a little iffy as a grower, and 'Belle Isis', both now in the middle of the delta. Shall I have to make islands for them?

Bart, let me know how you're doing.

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Melissa Northern Italy zone 8
Original Author

last year

Well, good that your garden's safe, and here's to a future of greater strength and mobility!

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Comments (6)

Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
last year
I love reading about your land and garden, Melissa.
Melissa Northern Italy zone 8 thanked Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
Ingrid_vc zone 9b, San Diego Co. inland
last year
It seems that every year weather disasters are a little worse than the year before, and Europe has certainly had its share of flooding lately. I hope you and bart will stay safe, Melissa, and that your roses will soldier on.
Melissa Northern Italy zone 8 thanked Ingrid_vc zone 9b, San Diego Co. inland
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User
last year
Good to hear from you, Melissa. Your delta sounds fascinating.

Here it's been raining a lot. After several years of semi-drought (i.e. it rained , but not enough and at wierd periods of the year), the rain this year has caused several landslides in our fragile area. The road out to my land was blocked by a bad one for most of the month of February; now, after yesterday's heavy rain, the portion of the road on the other side of "my mountain" has been blocked by a new one. there are other new landslides blocking other roads in this area, too. I guess you've seen in the news about how full the Arno is, and how allarmed people are about that...

I sure as heck hope that the anti-landslide measures taken on the road up to my land will resist and prove effective.
Melissa Northern Italy zone 8
Original Author
last year
Hello, bart! Yes, I read about the high waters and consequences in your area, so wanted to check in. I understand about the fragility: we live in a slide-prone zone, too. Much of my gardening effort of the past two decades have in fact had as one of its goals to prevent our land from sliding and slumping, mainly by planting a great deal, especially trees and larger shrubs, and avoiding seriously disturbing the soil. I want to limit soil runoff, too, as I said when I was talking about the delta.

Good luck on being able to access your land. I hope the soil holds: why isn't all of Italy working on this problem, which exists all over the hilly part of the country? Is your garden itself threatened?

Sheila, thanks for the kind words. Ingrid, I hope so, too. The direction the climate is taking is not good, though there are people and groups working to mitigate the consequences of heat, precipitation, etc.

The rain is forecast to end tonight! That's wonderful!
User
last year
So far, no real threat to my garden, though I think I did mention the damage that the wind storms caused. Otherwise, the only slight problem is an area of the "driveway" (un-paved, of course) that I use to enter my land to get near to the actual garden part. Due to the uneven ground and the rain,there's an area that is so muddy and slushy that in order to back-up properly I have to put down cartons so my wheels don't slip around too much. Once my hip is restored completely, I'll have to do some work on that spot, but for now...