I have talked about our willow tree that we have named Salisbury many of times before. I also told you how she was hit by lightening which happened about 5 years ago now.
Two years ago we were told that the tree damaged worse that we first thought and that to give her a better chance of being with us longer, we will have to have it cut back. We were looking at loosing about 30% at least of her canopy size. Two weeks later a crew came out to start the work.
Two years ago we were told that the tree damaged worse that we first thought and that to give her a better chance of being with us longer, we will have to have it cut back. We were looking at loosing about 30% at least of her canopy size. Two weeks later a crew came out to start the work.
This is the willow just before she was trimmed ...
A very large gentle giant of a tree.
And she does stand tall and beautiful.
This little fir tree was/still is growing right underneath her in between the large roots and had to be covered by a metal pail to ensure it wouldn't be damaged. When we bought our house it was only 3 inches tall and a tiny green brush tree and now it should be able to grow tall and strong.
Four workers were busy working on the willow when ...
... it started to snow quite intensely. One of the men kept working up high at about 50 feet, but
in the end had to stop because the winds were picking up and it became to dangerous. In the end they worked on our tree for two days to make her safer and smaller.
This is what the willow looked like once they were done.
That was as I said two years ago and this was our willow tree this summer.
She is about 90 feet or so tall now .. give or take a few feet and I can't believe how much she has grown in the past two years.
Stunning!
After an inspection we decided with our arborist, that it would be the best to have our tree worked on again but this time the treatment would be intense. It might not look like it but the damage had gotten worse and a date was set for this November. Yesterday I received the call to confirm when the work would start.
Since I knew for a while that the tree wouldn't be the way it is for much longer, I had started to take more photographs of it to remember her being so tall and stunning.
These were taken about ten days ago, the leaves had just started to turn colors.
This coming Monday is the big day and I can promise you it won't go by without many tears of mine flowing. I know it's the best thing for the tree and the safest to do but it still breaks my heart that she will be cut back over 70% this time and that very harshly.
Over the years we had many critters living in our tree, from squirrels to wild turkeys to our raccoon litter of 5 babies. It will take years before any of that will happen again but it is either taking the tree the back or it will have to be cut down completely. I know that in the end it is the right thing to do and I will be OK with it. I love this tree very much and my husband seems to understand this since the bill for the work is very high. I am hoping we will have it for at least several more years to enjoy. I will be sure to take photographs on Monday to show you what has been happening.
Thank you for stopping by and visiting me here at Todolwen ~ it is always so nice when you do.
I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.
Have a peaceful and creative day.
Oh I can understand this tears Karen. In our little white garden we have had a tree who comes by itself in a small bed close to the right wall and after beeing 5 meters high the neighbour told us to cut it down.
ReplyDeleteYes... we have bad neighbours!
Hope your heart stopps bleeding quickly.
Hugs Ines♥
I understand your attachment to this tree. But in reality, the willow is a messy, dirty tree with destructive roots and very weak wood. You are lucky it hasn't come crashing down yet on any of the houses. I'm surprised it hasn't damaged any of your pool walls. You will recover......
ReplyDeleteWe have a massive Douglas Fir outside our bedroom window. The arborist we had come take a look at it estimated it at 250 years old. We've had to hire a tree service to remove some limbs that broke off and then got snagged 40 feet above the ground, but it's a healthy tree. I'll be heartbroken if it ever has to come down.
ReplyDeleteSo many people would have just chopped her down - because it's easiest. Cheaper too, no doubt. She will be beautiful again next summer and happy that she didn't become firewood.
ReplyDeleteI hurt for you.
ReplyDeletexo
SuZeQ
As young children, we called this kind of tree a Grandma Tree. My grandparents had one in their yard, and I don't think we ever saw one before being so little and unworldly. It was unusual to us, and its something that always reminded us of our grandparents who had lived so far away from us. When I see one, which isn't too often, I am reminded of the times I spent there with them. Perhaps you can save the wood from your trimmings to make something special, so she will always be with you in spirit.
ReplyDelete