Hopeful Signs Post-Ian

HOPEFUL SIGNS IN OUR GARDENS

Periwinkles are popping up all over the East End of Sanibel Island! Thank you, Annie Meade Matthews Bailey, wife of Frank Bailey, who with her three young sons (Francis, John and Sam) planted Periwinkles (Vinca) along the sandy roadway fronting the Bailey Homestead on Periwinkle Way. A hundred years later, we are seeing a prolific bloom of pink, white and purple flowers. Carol Zell reports that her yard on East Gulf Drive is bursting with color. This perennial plant is not native to Southwest Florida but seems to like our climate and soil conditions. The gray slimy silt from Hurricane Ian’s tidal surge contains minerals and nutrients that have enriched our environment and gardens.

**A clump of Periwinkles bordering a shell path in Carol’s yard.**

**Patti Poshek’s 2-Year-Old Canna is flourishing once more and is promising more blooms.**

**Karen Satoris rescued her pot of caladiums from her garden. With a little loving care, they are back “in the pink.”**

Hurricane Ian struck our beautiful “Shell Islands” on September 28, 2022. It was a dangerous Category 4 storm (almost a 5!) when it pummeled our shores and sent a devastating 19-foot tidal surge over our beautiful gardens and nature preserves. Trees were toppled and plantings ripped from the ground. Who thought nature could recover from such destruction? A slimy gray muck covered the islands. It was thought to be toxic. We learned at our January meeting from Lee County Agricultural Extension Officer, Stephen Brown, the substance is not toxic and is very close to the alkalinity of our native sandy soil mix. While some plants were destroyed by the high salinity of the salt water surge, those that are more tolerant of salt intrusion were able to survive. Look below at what is popping up on our islands. . .just four months after Hurricane Ian. Mother Nature is certainly resilient!

Dotty Mount’s Panama Rose survived Hurricane Ian and is blooming!

Dotty’s White Bird of Paradise appears ready to take wing.

Gwenda Hiett-Clements was surprised to see a gaillardia pop up out of the gray mud covering her yard.

Gwenda was even more surprised to discover a new cherry tomato plant already flowering!

Patty Polshek’s Datura appeared out of a patch of mud! A prized Devil's Trumpet loaded with buds!

**Gwenda’s Cherry Tomatoes picked fresh from the vine!**

**Patti Poshek’s** **Strelitzia “White Bird of Paradise”is poking up through the palm.**

**Patti’s Traveler’s Palm survived and looks healthy!**

**Scheflera thriving in Patti’s garden.**

It is necessary to water plants well during this dry season. Watering will keep the plants that survived alive until rainy season. Since most plants are at their lowest point, this is very important. I water with a spray
hose from my upper-level deck.

— Patti Poshek