Saturday 24 April 2010

Goodbye Tree







We had a man come round to give us a quote at ten thirty and two hours later the tree was gone. We were dithering about whether to have it removed or just lopped but removal seemed the best thing. It was far too big for our garden really and was also a bit diseased. But looking at it gone, and remembering its beauty when full of yellowy green leaves, I feel really sad. I did love it. We are not very decisive as a rule and it all happened too quickly to really think too much about-though we have been kind of pondering for a while. It did make our 86 year old neighbour Joe very happy, which is good, and it does actually make the garden look much bigger. The men who did the job tried to get us to let them remove all the ivy, do the fence and the shed roof all today. We resisted their pressure sales technique and will continue to do so. The ivy is home to the birds. The tree had one nest but I think it was empty.

9 comments:

→lisa said...

:(

If the tree wasn't healthy, perhaps it was for the best. But yeah, still a sad day.

Will you be able to plant something else in the spot, or would the old roots interfere? They must be quite extensive.

When I was a kid, we had a massive tree in our front yard that was diseased and had to be cut down. When the men came to cut it down, they left a big stump, and it eventually grew new, healthy branches. It wasn't "tree-shaped" anymore, the branches were growing straight up out of the sides of the stump, but it was really pretty.

Rattling On said...

We have to get planning permission to even lop branches round here as it's a conservation area! Our house was covered in ivy when we bought it but we removed it all as it was quite oppressive. We've tried to make up for it by planting some hedging and putting up lots of nesting boxes. And we feed the birds all year round.
Sometimes you just have to do something if you are to get pleasure from the garden.

BonnyBadger said...

poor tree, but actually i think you have made the right decision - the garden looks twice as big - good selling point if you ever sell up!

snoopydogknits said...

Love the photo of Lily sitting in the hair! Anyone would think she knew you wanted to photograph her. Trees do seem to cause a degree of emotional connection with us humans! We have a very large willow tree in our garden which has been pollarded (taken right back to the trunk) a couple of times. Each time, I have felt really, really upset, even though I know it's good for the tree and that it will grow more strongly. Have a good week! Reports are looming and begiining to cast a bit of a shadow....... Ros

jabblog said...

Oh, I know how you feel! We had two oak trees cut down last year - they were old and rather decrepit - and I was so sad to see them go but the bird, squirrel and insect life seems unaffected. The upside is that we see more of the sky :-)

Helen McCookerybook said...

Your garden looks huge- it was a lovely tree but now you have got lots of sunlight!
x Helen

A.Smith said...

I too get into a very sad space every time we had to cut a tree. We had waited some times until it was nearly too late and the poor things were decaying and my romanticism was quickly kicked to the curb by our good arborist who was happier than a child with a new toy because he was certain it would have fallen on the house any day the wind barely blew.

Just plant another one, a small one that will take its time to grow and until then think of all the sunlight it will bless your flowers. The Earth is a good Mother, never takes anything away without already having planned a replacement. We must do as she does for our children as well.

Here the tomatoes are on the ground, the apples are beginning to form and although raining today Spring has come home to stay. I hope you are having a great week.
Hugs from here.

Anonymous said...

We have been cutting back a few saplings in our yard to clean the woods out and make things a little prettier. For some reason I get really sad when we cut down a tree. But we do it so the larger trees will be healthier and grow prettier. We have two dead oaks in the yard now that need cutting down. I hope you enjoy your garden more now that you have more space!

Anne said...

Hi, Sarah! It is sad sometimes to let a treasured friend go. But we have to let some friends go to make room for new friends. Here's hoping some new friends come into your life and your garden! :-)