Mother Nature pounded the International Peace Garden as heavy rain washed away plants and topsoil and left parts of the picturesque attraction under several feet of water.
This week, things are looking better, thanks to a wonderful response from both sides of the border.
By (last) Wednesday, workers at the park that straddles the United States-Canada border were beginning the monstrous task of replanting hundreds of plants and cleaning up debris left behind by the storm.
Among others, Lowe's Garden Center of Minot provided plants, as did local producers in the Manitoba cities of Deloraine and Killarney. A local business in Bottineau brought some top soil, and the city of Dunseith sent money.
The Peace Garden will celebrate its 75th anniversary this summer, and officials had planted several displays relating to the anniversary. Some of those were wiped out by rushing water in the recent storm. But while parts of the park were heavily damaged, other displays were spared. Not everything was destroyed, and the park still has plenty to offer visitors. Work will continue nonstop to restore the displays to full bloom.
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The Peace Garden will recover, with help from both sides of the border. It's exactly the kind of response we would have expected.
