A year in the life of a tree
Esther at Esthersboringgardenblog, who should be sued under the Trade Descriptions's Act for interestingness, has been hosting a group of us who have been recording a year in the life of a tree. I have to admit that I have been pretty hopeless at this. There was so little change in February that I couldn't bring myself to blog about it. Let me show you what I mean:
Here is a fat bud at the end of January.
And here it is at the end of February. You can perhaps see how I might have felt I had nothing to say.
But March has been warm, even hot, and sunny and just plain gorgeous. From a distance as you walk across the field and look up at the horse chestnut you are not sure whether it is in leaf or not.
But get closer and you can see that the whole tree is opening up and out.
On the North side of the tree the buds are bursting.
But on the South side they are offering themselves to the world,
throwing wide their arms,
even thinking of flowering, sometime, soon.
Spring has sprung and the tree is on the move.
Here is a fat bud at the end of January.
And here it is at the end of February. You can perhaps see how I might have felt I had nothing to say.
But March has been warm, even hot, and sunny and just plain gorgeous. From a distance as you walk across the field and look up at the horse chestnut you are not sure whether it is in leaf or not.
But get closer and you can see that the whole tree is opening up and out.
On the North side of the tree the buds are bursting.
But on the South side they are offering themselves to the world,
throwing wide their arms,
even thinking of flowering, sometime, soon.
Spring has sprung and the tree is on the move.
Oh dear, yet another thing I was planning on doing, but haven't :(
ReplyDeleteI take it, there's no chestnut leaf miner near you then? Ours are decimated - it's so sad as there's loads of them around Chippenham.
Don't think so! I know that sudden oak death has travelled this far but so far I think chestnuts are ok.
ReplyDeleteGolly, I'll have to check on my horse chestnut but I don't think it is anywhere near as far as this. How can it be warmer where you are up in the hills?
ReplyDeleteWouldn't imagine that it could be warmer up here although where it is is quite sheltered. And this is not the whole tree of course, just the most advanced bits!
DeleteI don't want you to think I had forgotten about you. I still read each and every post with interest. I just don't always have so much to say.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to see your chestnut out in leaf luke that. It really does give you that hopeful feeling for spring that we all long for. The little leaves look so tender and bright.
I enjoy every photo you post and can't get enough of them. I like all your descriptions too. Not having a garden myself makes me enjoy yours all the more. Keep up the good job. Every little detail counts.
xox
I have been wondering where you were! Glad to see you again. "Tender and bright" is just the perfect description! I am glad it gives you pleasure.
DeleteIn the space of a month, the scarlet bud had turned to burgundy. Not a monumental change, but noteworthy.
ReplyDeleteBut since spring has sprung, the changes will become more and more evident.
Awesome!
You are right, things do change even in those months where they seem to stand still, but this is the most amazing time of year for rebirth and renewal. You can practically watch things grow.
DeleteWow! This is exciting! Can't wait to see what happens next... isn't photography amazing? It can show the movement of a tree, that in real life grows too slowly to see with the naked eye.
ReplyDeleteI am still learning and very much on the nursery slopes with photography but yes, extraordinary!
DeleteNo leaves here yet. There are blossoms in town, but none up here in the woods yet.....soon though....
ReplyDeleteOurs have got going mainly because of an astonishingly warm and sunny spell I think. We have had temperatures more usually found in summer but sadly the weather returned to normal today!
DeleteThe last few days has made a big difference to the trees here, it's lovely to see all the fresh green young leaves bursting forth.
ReplyDeleteHere too, as I have just said to Pondside. There is a lot of green in the hedges too now which wasn't visible last week.
DeleteGorgeous. I have taken to looking very closely at nature since acquiring a new close up lens for the camera ... all this budding that is going on bears close scrutiny :D
ReplyDeleteI didn't really use a camera for years, put off perhaps by the fact that my father is a photographer and I always felt it was his thing. Now that I am starting to I find the imperative of close looking fantastically rewarding.
DeleteLove this - the buds were nice, but those leaves made me smile! I've been examining all of the trees and shrubs on my daily walks as closely as I can (I wonder what the other walkers think...crazy foreigner)and have been watching the buds (finally) start to swell up - a few brave blooms have even made an appearance. I hear that the cherry blossoms here are incredible, too. I'll just be happy when there are leaves again!
ReplyDeleteI will be fascinated to hear what you think about cherry blossom time. It is such a cliche to Western ears and yet it must be spectacular.
DeleteThat is wonderful. Your photography is so good. I am waiting on tenterhooks to see whether any of my grafts of apple sticks from the Mill have taken. I suspect I did them at entirely the wrong time of year (last autumn). The apple trees are beginning to sprout now but I can't make up my mind whether the buds on the graft are swelling or not. They don't look alive, but then they don't look dead either. Watch this space. If a graft does take you'll hear me cheering from the other end of Wales!
ReplyDeleteWhat an exciting thing to do! I do hope it works. Will be listening for the whoops of delight.
DeleteI came to the whole 'year of the tree' quite late last year when I started to follow my crab apple but it's really enjoyable focusing on one plant. Hoping to keep following my tree through this year. Will need to post soon about it with all this warm weather. Not enough hours in the day. It is fascinating watching a tree come to life again.
ReplyDeleteI have loved watching mine so far. The trick will be not to get so distracted by the garden that I miss something!
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