I have, however, in a rare show of industry, replaced my dead cherry tree with a rowan tree (otherwise known as a mountain ash). Trees in gardens are not everyone's cup of tea. Grandad Whyman's great pronouncement on trees was that `Ah don' raat laak ah tree in me garrden'. (read strong Yorkshire accent) But then grandad Whyman had a postage stamp in a mining village and was far better at growing vegetables than I am. I rather like a tree in a garden. And I am now fortunate enough to have enough garden to have several trees.
Any-way, back to my lovely rowan tree. My Sorbus Commixta Embley. I have a couple of reasons for choosing this tree, despite the sceptical looks from my knowledgeable neighbour and some muttering about the mess it will make. Firstly, the flowers and berries are supposed to be very bee and bird friendly. Tick. It is rumoured to be well-behaved and generally hardy. Tick. And then there's the idea that it is a British tree that has long been mentioned in folklore - so it has brevity. Tick. And it wards off evil spirits....Yes. The last of these reasons might seem a little out there, but I live in the country(ish) now. With no street lights and across from some deep (ish), dark woods. On a dark night, when the wind is gusting and a fox is calling in the dark mass of trees just a field away from me, it is easy to think that something scary is about. And if a tree fixes it - well, I will say no more.
And I suspect that I am not alone. Out where I live there are numerous horse-shoes nailed to walls and above doors. Yes, it is horsey country, but there are an awful number of shoes on walls. Holly plants also seem to feature heavily and my own established hedges are holly-heavy. While I was looking for my replacement tree, I discovered that holly is a traditional hedge plant not only because it forms a good strong barrier, but apparently because it also keeps witches away. They cannot run across the top of holly hedges as they might on those of more accommodating plants.. Holly trees themselves are rumoured to be powerful magic. They ward off evil and, according to several websites, lightning. They also make good wands. But holly trees drop really prickly leaves and make walking outside in bare feet intolerable - so I settled on a Rowan tree.
Buying a tree in Winter is actually a good move. They are sold as bare rootstock and you essentially get more tree for your money. From what I understand, planting the tree while it is dormant also gives it a better chance of establishing itself before the growing season of Spring arrives. Or so the theory goes - watch this space! This is the second tree I have bought on the internet from primrose.co.uk. The trees arrived well-packaged, delivered via courier within a day or two of ordering. When I first moved in, I bought a flowering cherry and two blueberry bushes from Primrose. All have established well. So a sneaky little recommendation there.
So that was my early January project. I am now waiting for my rowan tree to grow and produce lots of lovely berries, which, according to the website treesforlife.org.uk I can make into a jelly or, dare I say it, a strong alcoholic drink. Hmmm. Roll on Spring!
