Everywhere, across Anguilla, persons are expressing surprise over the almost sudden and prolific lush vegetation that has sprung up in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in the space of just over two months.
There seems to be unlimited meadows covering most of the acreage of Anguilla, with grass as tall as three feet in some areas, and the thick long grass is still growing.
It is not only becoming a challenge to persons operating weed-eaters and other hand-operated grass-cutters, but a delight to some children who are playfully throwing themselves down and hiding in the grass.
As many persons cut or mow the grass, heaps of it are seen everywhere – either waiting to be used by farmers for mulch or simply to throw into their animals pens. In either case, it is seen as a blessing.
Then there is the scrub bush, particularly the mimosa – a popular fodder for livestock. The flat lands, valleys, and hillsides are all full of it. The taller trees and scrub bush were all rendered leafless by Hurricane Irma, as though a massive fire had consumed them. Now, they have all been rejuvenated, making Anguilla a real tropical island with a beautiful and lush greenery like some of its more fertile neighbours.
In admiring how quickly the vegetation has sprung back (much better than before Irma), some persons are wondering whether, while ravaging Anguilla, Hurricane Irma somehow dropped some kind of nutrients, from somewhere unknown, across the island. Or maybe, the Anguilla soil is not that acrid and poor as was believed after all.
