One of the selling points for this flat was the 150 year old weeping willow tree in the garden. The seventy rose bushes were beautiful but the willow tree won out in the attractivility stakes.
On Wednesday night we were reading in bed, about 11pm, and heard what sounded like intruders out in the garden. I could swear they were moving patio furniture around, if raccoons lived in this part of the world I’d have said a family were having a good rummage party.
Startled I sent my brave knight to the window to see if there was anyone outside. He opened the curtain and banged on the window and said,
“Go away…”
“Go outside,” I said! I was suggesting courageous moves from the safety of my bed. He went around the flat ensuring all the windows were locked and we resumed our reading. There is a motion light that comes on outside our window and since it hadn’t been activated by whomever was out there, I finally fell asleep.
The following morning I looked out of the front windows to see if I could detect any movement of patio furniture and the beautiful willow tree, that dominated the centre of our garden, had broken in two. Not an hour later I watched as it made a loud groan and finally gave up its battle with gravity and fell gracefully to the grass below.
We gathered beneath it’s fallen frame and mourned its passing. The wind had not been particularly high that night but it had caused a circular updraft that the willow could not withstand causing its demise.
An empty space where it had proudly stood for decades now threatened our magnificent view.
An arborist declared it salvageable. He would come and cut down the fallen branches and it would grow back…
This was good news because the trunk is quite robust and broad.
However, on the notice board are these words:
Because of the partial collapse of the willow tree our tree surgeon has said the remaining branch has left the tree top heavy and will have to be severely pollard. By taking this action we hope to retain the willow but on a much smaller scale.
A pollard tree produces a close, rounded head of young branches, it is a pruning system common in Great Britain since medieval times!
One day it may regain its former glory.
Well hello there! My name is Vivienne McNeny.
I am an empty nester exploring life as a Boomer…you could say I'm happily Boomering along!
As a homeschooling Mum I have finally quit the job of role model and mentor to my four children. I do what I want to do, eat when I feel like it, enjoy life with my blue eyed cowboy and clean my house once a month or so whether it needs it or not!
In true English form I write about the emergence of my true identity now that I can no longer hide behind my children as their Mum.
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