Storm Damage Tecumseh Creek, Fallen Tree Removal, White Hydrangea Tree Blooms

Last night's terrific storm caused less damage at the BRG than it could have, given past storm damage in the Port Credit area and gardens. But evidence of high water levels in Thursday night's storm is shown along Tecumseh Creek that runs through the gardens parallel to the Waterfront Trail.

I took these pictures this morning, as well as one showing the progress of the removal of a large tree felled in an earlier storm. To end on a high note, there's a picture of a white hydrangea tree now in full bloom in the east Gardens.

Fallen Tree ~ August 9 Storm

A violent thunderstorm on Sunday August 9 with heavy rainfall was too much for this large tree to withstand; it snapped and fell onto private property, taking out several sections of fence as it went. (Photos: August 11).

Fallen Tree Godfrey's Lane Side BRG

Here's a closer look at the fallen tree, located on the east side of the BRG east of the middle bridge over Tecumseh Creek.

Storm Damage ~ Fallen Tree BRG

This tree on BRG (City of Mississauga) property landed mostly within private property that abuts the gardens.

Fallen Tree Removal Begins

Today, as I walked the gardens to see what havoc the storm had wrought, I noticed that the fallen tree removal has begun, and it's now cut into smaller sections, though still in situ. Drainage issues in this area are evident in the pooled water in the foreground. I understand the drainage issues on both sides of Tecumseh Creek in this section of the Gardens are now being addressed.

Tecumseh Creek Port Credit Storm Water Drain

This banks along Tecumseh Creek (seen here from the south bridge, nearest Lake Ontario) show how high the water rose last night. I've never seen it this high in the past three years that I have been monitoring it.

This area is always shady, thanks to the thicket of trees along the creek, but look closely (click image to enlarge, then click Back button to return to this page), and you'll see that last night's high waters washed out the soil from the base of several of these trees.

Tecumseh Creek Overflows Banks

Further north, at the middle bridge over the creek, the vegetation at the top of the bank has been flattened by the force and volume of water during last night's storm.

Tecumseh Creek ~ Patio Stones Not Naturalization

The area closest to the creek are either already naturalized, or in the process of being naturalized, and these patio stones are definitely not part of the program. The high water last night washed some of them downstream to Lake Ontario.

South Bridge Waterfront Trail at Lake Ontario

Though the creek sometimes meanders and pools here at the south bridge outlet into Lake Ontario, last night's rains forced a new, deep channel though the beach, straight into the lake.

Creek Floods Banks ~ Levels Vegetation

Though it's difficult to see depth in this photo, the vegetation along the creek is 18-24 inches above the usual water line, and today, it's knocked flat. All along Tecumseh Creek through the Gardens -- from Lakeshore and Shawnmarr south to the Lake Ontario shoreline -- plants and shrubs that are usually several feet above the creek are now lying flat after last night's heavy rains.

White Blooming Hydrangea Tree

As promised, here's a bit of cheer in the BRG: A lovely white hydrangea tree in full bloom. Find this beauty on the east side (Godfrey's Lane side - see map link in side menu) of the Gardens, between the annual bed at the Port Credit sign and the new bed with mounded topsoil.

Let's hope that, other than the now bare-root trees near the south bridge that may not make it, the 'Lose a Tree With Every Major Storm' jinx has now been broken!

End of A Weeping Willow - Spring Storm

*Update July 11, 2009
Today another storm took out a tree and branches at the BRG (pictures).
*Update August 21, 2009
August 20, August 9 storms
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April 25 2009 Storm:
On the east side of the Gardens, where Godfrey's Lane borders the park, the grassy meadow is scattered with picnic tables among the weeping willow trees. The sudden, violent windstorm that hit this area Saturday, April 25, took out one of the tall willows. I found a Before picture that I took a year and a half ago, so you can see how the tree used to look.

Weeping Willow Before

Note the position of the house on Godfrey's Lane in the background, and the smaller weeping willow just behind the tree in the foreground. I never used this picture as I didn't like the garbage can in the photo. Now, with the demise of the willow, I am glad to have it.

Weeping Willow After the Storm

Here's how I found the willow on Sunday morning after the storm. When the wind had started blowing hard the afternoon before, I noticed some people still sitting around the picnic tables, but I went running for cover, and left the picnickers to fend for themselves.

Close Up Center of Trunk of Weeping Willow

This is the interior of the fallen half of the willow tree. Though it had looked pretty solid when upright, you can see it was rotten to the core.

Interior Willow Tree Trunk Upright

Here's what the interior of the still-upright willow trunk looked like. Just the day before, I had made a comment about how lovely the willows looked in this half of the garden; another gardener responded that willows were brittle, and in a storm, the last place that you'd want to be is near one; they fall down easily and dramatically. Gives a whole new interpretation to The Wind in the Willows. Think of that as an alarm to clear out :-)

Weeping Willow Cut Up

I'd sent the above pictures to Para, who arranged for the fellows in Forestry to come cut down the tree. I am only sorry I didn't get over to the gardens to video them felling the tall bit. In a few hours (less?) the tree is ready for chipping and hauling away.

Weeping Willow Stump

This is all that's left of the stump and branches. Some good chipping to be done here. But the willow's demise makes for guilt-free planting of trees more suited to shading a Rhododendron Garden, and there is a long term plan to add more rhodos and rhodo habitat to this section of the garden.

The End of the Willow

And so, we say goodbye to a long serving shade tree, that sucked up water in a low lying area. Now to see what will replace it.

Update July 9, 2009
Yesterday, the city crew came to make wood chips out of the remains of the fallen weeping willow. (It had been so many weeks since the original willow collapse that I had wondered if the fallen tree was a new naturalization initiative.)

Weeping Willow Cleanup

City crew sawing and hauling tree remains to chipper. The head gardener decided not to use the remains of this tree as mulch in the BRG since it might be contaminated. Makes sense: After all, whatever killed the tree could kill other garden plants.

Wood Chipper Truck

I video'd the truck and small cat used to haul and chop the old tree sections into mulch. And since I couldn't get too close to the working men and machines, I used the zoom lens. Well, for that one really needs a tripod. Sorry the video didn't work out as hoped.