One of my favorite aspects of my job is tree work, I love looking at trees, the form of their branches, the shape of their crowns.
When I am pruning a tree it is a job that engages my brain, I'm not just following a lawnmower for a few hours lost in my own thoughts, I study the tree and think about each cut and what shape the cuts are going to produce, the direction of the new growth and the weight balance of the remaining branches. When I stand back and look at my work it is very satisfying.
The same thought goes for felling trees too, whether it needs to be dismantled or felled in one piece, looking at the surrounding space and deciding the direction of the fell, looking at the stem and deciding where to cut the hinge, the depth of the cuts. It really is brain work, and quite an adrenaline rush when it comes down. Although I am not qualified to fell large trees a similar amount of planning needs to go into the smaller trees.
Some trees have to be taken down because they are dead or diseased but sometimes it is purely because the customer no longer wishes to have them in their garden. It is a shame when this is the case. I am soon being called in to cut down a Willow that has outgrown it's space, It is not a handsome tree as it was heavily pollarded and now lacks any branches and is quite stout. But it is very nearly the same age as I am and I know I'll feel quite sorry when it crashes to the ground. The customers are planting three replacements for it in another part of the garden as their property is called Willow Farm so it needs a Willow in the garden somewhere.
I cut a dead branch off a Yew tree a few weeks back and I counted the rings on the slice nearest the stem whilst having a cup of coffee in the van and after a couple of re counts I found it was approximately 85 years old, the branch that is, not the tree! I find that an amazing thought.
I love to see the huge ancient trees. In my part of the county of Lincolnshire there are not many to be found as the land was sea in the not too distant past but I have encountered a few on my travels and they never fail to fill me with wonder, I always imagine how they have stood sentinel whilst us short lived humans have come and gone under their branches.
Here is a couple of photographs of some ancients, they are not photographs i have taken unfortunately but they are trees that I'd love to see in the flesh and spend a little time with.
Thank you for reading.
Comments
Great Blog Andy!
Is that first photograph of the 'Bowthorpe Oak' do you know? Rumoured to be over 1000 years old if it is....Certainly got to be one of the oldest trees in our area.
Little link below for anyone interested in further info....
http://www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk/discoveries/newdiscoveries/2007...
Thanks Adam,
Yes I think it is. Near Bourne i believe. Never seen in the flesh.
Hello Duncan,
Thanks for your great reply and great photo's.
Wow!! those trees are enormous! where in the world are they?
That's amazing Duncan, really interesting, I bet they are a sight to behold!!
Bet there's not many people with a 40'000 year old keyring!!!
great stuff Andy
Thanks Rhianne, it's good to know so many people appreciate the trees,
very nice painting by the way. :-)
Thanks Brigitt,
they are great trees aren't they, I endeavor to see them in the flesh (or the bark) one day,
I have a whole list of ancient trees that i want to visit!