Groundskeeper Scott Tewey, gardener Marcus Jones and groundskeeper Vern Miller work on clearing out fallen trees at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. ''We have trees here that were lost that we will never see again in our lifetime. It's depressing,'' Jones said. Related story. Photo by Genevieve Ross / The Virginian-Pilot. ..By RONNIE RATLIFF JR., The Virginian-Pilot .© September 24, 2003 | Last updated 11:59 PM Sep. 23 ..NORFOLK -- The 80-year-old redwood tree that once towered over the Camellia Garden at Norfolk Botanical Garden is now a clean-shaven stump. ..The Healing Garden , which holds delicate medicinal herbs such as wishbone flower, black cohosh and mint, is smothered by a severed trunk and a mass of dead limbs. .. Hurricane Isabel ravaged the botanical garden, causing about double the damage of Hurricane Bonnie in 1998, said Jessica Kern, public relations director. ..More than 400 trees at the 155-acre facility off Azalea Garden Road were lost in the storm -- either blown over, snapped in half or crushed by falling limbs. Seventy more trees, mostly oak and pine, were badly damaged. Some gardens were destroyed. Others that no longer have the shade of nearby trees will be changed forever. ..``All this devastation is a botanical horror,'' said Mark Weathington, director of horticulture. ``The damage here is not cosmetic. It is absolute.'' ....See the complete Pilot, exactly as in print .- View stories, photos and ads .- E-mail clippings .- Print copies .Log in or learn more . ..Email this Page.Print this Page.Get Email Newsletters. . .Countless plants and shrubs were crushed, including many rare ones that may not be replaceable. ..Almost half of the plants in the Camellia Garden -- which was the largest such collection in the region -- were crushed by fallen trees and debris. ..``It will take a lot of donations and support to get our collections to where they used to be,'' Weathington said. The garden is a nonprofit organization. ..The worst destruction stretched through two acres of the nationally recognized Hydrangea Garden and five acres of the Enchanted Forest. ..Weathington called the fallen redwoods, blue atlas cedars and crape myrtles a sad loss for the botanical garden. ..``It makes me sick to my stomach to see them go,'' he said. ..The storm has changed the nature of the garden by altering the tree canopy, Weathington said. ..``In areas where many trees fell, bright sunlight now reaches ground that was once heavily shaded,'' Weathington said. ``Now the sun will penetrate the shade-loving plants that grow there, leading to disease and decline.'' ..Many plants will need to be removed or relocated because they won't survive in a sunny environment. ..It will take about four months for the garden to recover as fully as possible from the hurricane's destruction, garden officials said. ..There was even damage to the Renaissance Court -- a favorite wedding spot and site of the annual Azalea Queen coronation. Also, the greenhouse has a hole the size of a car in its roof. ..Although the garden remains open to the public, some areas are closed for safety reasons. Sticks and branches cover some winding paths in the garden, making navigation tricky. ..Fifteen maintenance and gardening staffers have been out on the grounds since Friday helping with the cleanup. ..Many staff members, Weathington said, have postponed fixing their own houses to put in extra time at the garden. ..``They have over-extended themselves,'' said Kern, who traded her clipboard for a rake Monday morning. ..Groundskeepers began clearing debris immediately after the storm, but on Tuesday, four areas of the garden remained blocked off. ..The first priority was to clear the most visible and popular areas such as the Renaissance Court, where two weddings were held on Saturday despite the storm. ..According to Weathington, the most challenging task will be restoring the now-barricaded Enchanted Forest, where the most trees fell. ..While crews have cleaned, gardeners have had to put regular maintenance of the grounds on hold. But garden employees hope volunteers will come help soon. ..Kim Rubin brought her sons Isaac, 5, and Josh, 3, to the botanical garden Tuesday because they were out of school. ..A weekly visitor to the garden, she was stunned by the devastation. ..``When standing, the trees are a beautiful thing, an asset,'' she said, ``So it hurts to see them down all over.'' ..Reach Ronnie Ratliff Jr. at 446-2949 or e-mail ronnie.ratliff@pilotonline.com ..