underfoot, presented a marvelous subject. Ice crystals glittered like diamonds in the strong sunlight. Although they did little to warm the temperatures, they were magical in the way they transformed the plants and pathways. The snow, unplowed, unshoveled and undisturbed, remained a pristine blanket of white on fairways and lagoons throughout the Island.
Interestingly, Kiawah’ s normally abundant wildlife seemed to disappear while the ice and snow remained. One wonders where and how they found cover, as they were obviously more resourceful than many of their human counterparts. Happily, the freeze eventually faded, leading to more reasonable temps and greenery. As the snowmelt finally took hold, our
feathered and four-legged friends reappeared along with the first patches of grass.
One final note on the after-effects of the storm. For the most part, our native plants fared very well and were soon back to normal. Not so for some of our non-native greenery. Particularly hard-hit were the ligularia, a. k. a.“ leopard” or“ tractor seat” plants that seem to have suddenly become quite popular across the Island. They provided compelling evidence once again that landscaping with native plants is the best way to ensure the ongoing health of our beautiful island.
It’ s been a decade since we’ ve been tested by such extreme winter weather. Here’ s hoping we have another decade before the next test! NK
WINTER / SPRING 2018 • VOLUME 39
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