Maybe you could team up with someone over here and send them some seeds to sow on your behalf! (hee hee).
It has been the most incredible thing on the levels. Really horrific - but also very inspiring to see how their community has risen to the challenge and supported each other, and to see how many people have come in from far away to offer support. A good example of humanity at its best. I think one of the greatest challenges will be maintaining spirit and morale as the long, long clean up starts. Someone has just posted on their site that even if their houses are devastated, perhaps they can get their gardens looking good... it would be so great if we could help from this forum.
Hope your weather down in SW France has been slightly kinder!
It's been very wet, but I'm inland and on the side of a hill. Poor Brittany has had it bad, like Cornwall, and the Var in south France, near the Pyrenees and Atlantic coast have all had problems, flooding and red alerts. But I think the wind has been a lot worse in the UK.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Rosie, you are a star Sorry I have not responded before, but was v. busy last night and today.
Yes, if you can get people to identify what they need that would be wonderful. I hopefully can supply the kind of veg that people would be germinating now if they could; aubergines, peppers, tomatoes. I will also try to get some herbs going.
UPDATE! I've been talking to some others who are looking to help gardeners on the levels - we are going to get a facebook page set up which could be a central point for coordinating who could grow what, who needs what, how we can get it there....as well as being full of advice for how to cope with a garden that has spent the last five weeks under three feet of foul water. Will let you all know when that works.
In the meantime, if anyone is willing to start sowing extra seeds this spring to share with devastated flooded gardens, please please do - and let us know what it is that you might be able to offer!
I can offer what I mentioned above, but facebook sounds a bit scary; I always thought it was where young people posted photos of themselves throwing up in the gutter, but I have been told that it is not all like that. Perhaps I just have to bite on the bullet and join.
It is great that other people have thought of this too. Have these gardens been under what is technically known as 'foul water' not 'grey water' or 'sea water'?
Hi Artjak - facebook is good, honest! It has been the main way that the Somerset communities have coordinated their efforts, asking for and giving help. But don't worry if you are not on it, I am very happy to act as go-between and post on behalf of anyone on this message board.
Yes, the water is quite foul. It is 'only' river water and rain flood but there is all sorts of evil stuff in it - chemical stores have been flooded, slurry pits are underwater, not to mention all the animals that didn't make it to dry land in time. It is so, so pretty; but when the water recedes it is going to be pretty horrid. Bad enough in gardens - unspeakably bad in houses. It is going to be desperately depressing for everyone whose homes have been ruined; but perhaps our flowers and plants can cheer them up a bit!
Posts
Hi Busy-Lizzie
Maybe you could team up with someone over here and send them some seeds to sow on your behalf! (hee hee).
It has been the most incredible thing on the levels. Really horrific - but also very inspiring to see how their community has risen to the challenge and supported each other, and to see how many people have come in from far away to offer support. A good example of humanity at its best. I think one of the greatest challenges will be maintaining spirit and morale as the long, long clean up starts. Someone has just posted on their site that even if their houses are devastated, perhaps they can get their gardens looking good... it would be so great if we could help from this forum.
Hope your weather down in SW France has been slightly kinder!
Rosie
It's been very wet, but I'm inland and on the side of a hill. Poor Brittany has had it bad, like Cornwall, and the Var in south France, near the Pyrenees and Atlantic coast have all had problems, flooding and red alerts. But I think the wind has been a lot worse in the UK.
Bump - just in case anyone else is interested in helping?
Rosie, you are a star
Sorry I have not responded before, but was v. busy last night and today.
Yes, if you can get people to identify what they need that would be wonderful. I hopefully can supply the kind of veg that people would be germinating now if they could; aubergines, peppers, tomatoes. I will also try to get some herbs going.
Thank you so much for your response
bump
Bumping up!
Thanks Artjak - will do.
UPDATE! I've been talking to some others who are looking to help gardeners on the levels - we are going to get a facebook page set up which could be a central point for coordinating who could grow what, who needs what, how we can get it there....as well as being full of advice for how to cope with a garden that has spent the last five weeks under three feet of foul water. Will let you all know when that works.
In the meantime, if anyone is willing to start sowing extra seeds this spring to share with devastated flooded gardens, please please do - and let us know what it is that you might be able to offer!
I can offer what I mentioned above, but facebook sounds a bit scary; I always thought it was where young people posted photos of themselves throwing up in the gutter, but I have been told that it is not all like that.
Perhaps I just have to bite on the bullet and join.
It is great that other people have thought of this too. Have these gardens been under what is technically known as 'foul water' not 'grey water' or 'sea water'?
bump
Hi Artjak - facebook is good, honest! It has been the main way that the Somerset communities have coordinated their efforts, asking for and giving help. But don't worry if you are not on it, I am very happy to act as go-between and post on behalf of anyone on this message board.
Yes, the water is quite foul. It is 'only' river water and rain flood but there is all sorts of evil stuff in it - chemical stores have been flooded, slurry pits are underwater, not to mention all the animals that didn't make it to dry land in time. It is so, so pretty; but when the water recedes it is going to be pretty horrid. Bad enough in gardens - unspeakably bad in houses. It is going to be desperately depressing for everyone whose homes have been ruined; but perhaps our flowers and plants can cheer them up a bit!