Earlier today I read a delightful quote attributed to Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States (1801-1809).
He was apparently talking to his gardener at his newly-built house at Monticello in Virginia: "We'll have an avenue there" he said.
"But that would take a hundred years, Sir"
"Well, you'd better get the trees in this afternoon, then!"
I'm slightly reminded of the American visitor to Hampton Court Palace, just outside London. The visitor was seriously impressed by the immaculate lawns and turned to one of the gardeners and said "wow, how do you get your grass to grow like that?"
"Quite simple, sir" said the gardener "just cut and roll it every day for 400 years!"
That's sooooo weird... I was just about to make a thread about procrastination [I'm meant to be doing some quite urgent uni work] and came on here and the first thread said 'get on with it!' mehhhh!!
^^My brother planted a horse chestnut when he was around about 3. Now, nearly 15 years later, it's still a fairly small tree, altough it should be given a perminant home soon.
Takes a very very long time, but a good way of leaving your own mark on the earth.
My parents are really into gardening. My mother and my step dad both spend most of their free time in the garden during the summer, which is awesome, because our garden is truly amazing.
Funny you should mention that because I picked up a horse chestnut at a house from 1600's where all the tress are old but in ruin from a microburst or mini tornado thing. I was thinking of trying to grow something but haven't looked up the process yet. I know with acorns its like a 6 month deal just to get the thing started. I'll give it a go though. People seem to want to cut down trees left and right for one reason or another and they don't put any back in worry for phone wires and leaves etc. Streets look naked now.
That's sooooo weird... I was just about to make a thread about procrastination [I'm meant to be doing some quite urgent uni work] and came on here and the first thread said 'get on with it!' mehhhh!!
Not far from us, at Helmingham Hall, there is an avenue of oaks, apparently planted to mark a visit by Elizabeth 1. They lead up to the main entrance of the moated Hall. They've grown on quite well in the intervening 450 years ... The grass in the surrounding parkland is superbly lush, having been cropped and manured by the deer and the sheep for the same sort of time.
And how privileged we are to be able to enjoy trees/vistas/countryside that was planted and moulded for the future, rather than the short term. In between our urgent daily needs we should be grateful to those who thought, unselfishly, ahead ...
That's sooooo weird... I was just about to make a thread about procrastination [I'm meant to be doing some quite urgent uni work] and came on here and the first thread said 'get on with it!' mehhhh!!
random: we have a japanese maple. it's awesome. my dad wanted to to go, but it's been there fore like 20 years. and it's only just reached my height [5'7'' ish]. but i love that tree.
procrastination is bobbins, i've been doing it all my life :P
Scientists the other day found a group of what they believe to be the oldest trees living on earth, which grew just after the ice age first melted in sweden, and these things are 8000 years old! Nearly double that of the current ' record' in the states, the Methuselah tree in the states, at a mere baby 4500-5500 years old :)
I've wanted RYL to have a tree for ages! Or a wood which we can keep adding to :)
Harley
has no-one educated you about the way trees grow? they don't really do well underground for lack of space and sunlight!
Silver birch tree grow surprisingly fast once they have reached the sapling stage. we bought our house and the back garden had a sapling still in it's protective plastic shield. 6 years on and we had to cut the tree down because its roots were uprooting us! it was a fully grown tree and took matt and my brother hours to cut down.
mand x
Mand, South Wales, Full-time working, single mother to 2 scarily independent girls.
I AM A PROUD PLUMERIA SISTER
Oddly enough there's an article in this month's copy of The Field (a very long-established country magazine) about ancient trees growing with ancient families.
Among the stories related is one concerning the Eighth Earl of Abercorn who was once entertaining the local Rector for lunch. After they'd eaten they had a walk around the estate and for want of something to say the Rector remarked "My Lord, your trees are growing well". To which the Earl responded "Sir, they have not much else to do."
