As my family will happily tell you, I am a bit of a hypochondriac. At the first sign of any worrying symptom, I think the worst.
At least I have the self-awareness to know it, and to realise that it’s a tendency that extends to other aspects of my life too, like my gardening. So, when I first noticed one or two withered, blackened ash leaves in the hedge at the end of our garden, I told myself to look the other way.
That was a month or two ago; now it’s impossible to ignore what’s going on. The telltale signs of Chalara ash dieback, aka Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, are clear to see. Blackened leaves droop from just about every other branch and, here and there, the smooth, grey bark is stained and marked.
The Guardian: Ash dieback is unstoppable, but you can help by planting new trees
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