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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