Cornwall's historic gardens have been left in a state of devastation following the impact of Storm Goretti. The storm has brought down numerous trees, leaving behind a trail of destruction. Head gardener Darren Little reports that almost 100 trees at St Michael's Mount were felled by winds reaching an astonishing 111 mph. Gary Long, head of Trewithen, shares a similar story, stating that a quarter of the mature trees, some over 250 years old, were brought down. The storm's impact is being compared to the 'great storm' of 1987 that devastated the South East of England, including Kew Gardens. Little notes that the fallen trees at St Michael's Mount were pine trees aged between 20 and 90 years old, and more will need to be removed as they have been uprooted. The clean-up process, which will take between three and four months, is complicated by the challenge of accessing the tidal island and its steep gradient. Long reports that the Trewithen team has noted over 50 fallen trees, with the domino effect causing even more damage. One of the storm's victims was an Acer cissifolium, the tallest of its kind in the British Isles. The gardens will now need to replant and recover, with Long stating that 'this will be our great storm'. The storm's impact has left many in Cornwall's historic gardens reeling, and the clean-up process will be a long and challenging one.
