Hail ravaged outdoor plants at Tallinn Botanic Garden

On May 29th, a powerful hailstorm swept over the botanic garden, severely damaging many outdoor collections.

The most affected areas were the Rock Garden, Fern Valley, the perennial collections, and the Garden of Senses. All plants with any amount of blossoms, fruits, or leaf mass were damaged. Flower stalks of irises, peonies, lilies, and many others were mowed down as if by a scythe. Larger-leaved and larger-flowered woody plants, such as magnolias, rhododendrons, and hydrangeas, were not spared either. Many plants have shredded leaves, and flowers are either broken or knocked off.

Gardeners who have worked at Tallinn Botanic Garden for 30-40 years have not experienced such a severe hailstorm before. Observing the recovery process of the plants will be interesting and, above all, educational.

TIP! Hail-damaged plants need time to recover. Broken and damaged parts of the plants can be removed. Many plants will recover nicely, but blooming may be delayed, less abundant, or might not occur at all this year.