There is little more typically British than a National Garden Scheme Open Day, where this was snapped.

Equally typical is a kind of back against the wall ingenuity and Dunkirk spirit!

Often we are our best when disaster strikes and strike it did in this Congresbury, Somerset garden a few years ago.

A much loved Cedar, reportedly 350 years old, and central to the character of this garden took a tumble:

What to do?

Well life goes on!

And after much agonising the owners  decided to soldier on and sneak a triumph of their own out of the disaster.

With sufficient roots entact, they have created a raised terrace over its uprooted zone:

We are not quite sure about the styling of the terrace, (well we would all do things differently!) but the downward limbs have created a neat and well used outdoor room:

Obviously they await the long term outcome for the Cedar.

But full marks for their fortitude.

Plucky Brits!

L and R