I Didn't Expect to See This

First 2015 Daffodil, January 26

I did expect to see this daffodil in bloom today, since I knew the bud was ready to open at any time. So this is my first daffodil to bloom in 2015, and many more have buds about to open. Since this daffodil is in bloom in my Paso Robles garden, I was anxious to see what was happening to the daffodils I had planted in Templeton in 2013. They bloomed last year, and I guess I expected to see their cheerful faces in my herb garden soon.

I had occasion to go over there today, so I wandered out to the herb garden ready to snap a photo of my blooming daffodils. What a shock was waiting for me instead! We must have had a lot of wind with the rain last night, because this is what I found where my daffodils were planted.

Fallen ButterflyBush 

My first reaction was to wonder what had  come down. Then I decided it was my butterfly bush missing. I had been pretty lax about pruning it, but I never expected this to happen. I wanted to drag it off my garden, but then I noticed the baby plants near the roots.

Baby Butterfly Bush Plants Attached to Mother Plant

The leaves were also starting to come back, and a bit of root was still in the ground. This is how the root looks.

Exposed Roots of Fallen Butterfly Bush

I hope I can get over there again with some pruners before the plant is dead . Since my physical activities are still restricted, I can't drag the plant away. But I think I can cut some of the new growth and try to root more plants. I think I can also cut away the babies so they can take over for the mother plant.

I'm hoping I can cut some of the branches off where the daffodils should be and see what has happened to them. I really shouldn't do these things for another two weeks, but I might be able to at least throw more dirt and water over the exposed roots to keep the plant from dying until I am allowed to garden again.

For comparison, you might want to check the post where this butterfly bush was still young, as were the plants around it, so you can get a feel for the shape of this garden.

Have you suffered any storm damage to your plants?