It was all a dream, I didn’t really write that poem. Today is the day after…
So lets blog. OK what shall it be, how about three trees from the garden?
First up the Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum) the one that has ridiculous purple-pink flowers on bare twigs and heart-shaped leaves on the ends? Such a strange tree.
Why is this innocent tree called a Judas tree? My friend Mercedes tells me in Spanish it’s called a Love tree on account of the leaf shape.
This is the tree we bought when it was less than twelve inches tall and then someone sat on it and broke it. It’s done pretty well in the last five years, though it does have a tendency to cling to its seed pods and rattle them loudly in the Spring in a slightly creepy way. We had intended to buy another cercis tree, the Forest Pansy or Eastern Redbud but they didn’t have any that day so we came home with this one.
I did see one of these at Southmead Hospital which is enormous, so just remember tree, I’m watching you…
Next up, another relative newcomer to the garden. This acer came from Westonbirt Arboretum, which has a wonderful collection of acers in the Silk Wood, which is the part that they let you walk your dogs in. We like the Silk Wood for its cool calm and long avenues, its boggy potholes (Zeb likes these particularly) , woodland spring flowers, blossom and autumn leaves.
The Silk Wood Spring Fair is on this weekend, might go tomorrow…
And the third and youngest of the three, a rowan. One of the upright ones that doesn’t spread too much. We took its support down two months ago and this is how it looked last week, covered in fresh white flowers, to be followed by red berries later on. A good tree to have in the garden.
Today, while we were weeding and hacking back a space-greedy clematis cirrhosa, we found five hazel nut seedlings which the local grey squirrel had carefully planted last year.
We are creating our own tree nursery – I have no idea where all these baby trees are going to go, but we are looking after them till they grow up and can find new homes of their own.
When I grow up I want to live next to a forest… where do you want to live?
Zeb Bakes 
Your trees are beautiful. I went for a walk in a local woodland area a couple of weeks ago, and it was so peaceful – all carpeted in wild garlic and with a little stream running in a deep cutting falling away from the path. Green and dappled and serene.
I’d like to live somewhere where the garden gets sunshine rather than being N facing with clay soil. I’d like to live somewhere with strong changes in the seasons (like the UK) but with predominantly warmer weather. I must be cold blooded – I need some heat to warm me up and make me active….
Morning C ! I have local woodland where I walk too and it is always a joy. I had a postage stamp sized north facing garden for many years and clay soil. The fatsia now in the bottom of the garden sat in the middle of my postage stamp in a pot and did very well in that cold space, and I had a wonderful climbing noisette rose from David Austin that flowered beautifully even in a north facing space, called ‘deprez a fleur jaunes’ and a little winter flowering witch hazel. They were the three shrubs that did the best there.
I just need to find the enthusiasm to tackle it. I know there are things that would grow here, I just can’t get started.
I’m just going to sneak a reply in here : Dear C, I wouldn’t worry about it, it takes energy and enthusiasm as you say, and sometimes the time and place just isn’t right. I don’t intend to make anyone feel they should do anything. I wrote about the trees because I haven’t cooked anything that I felt like blogging this weekend.
Gorgeous trees, Joanna.
I’m particularly fond of Judas trees. We had a lovely one, but had to chop it down when we renovated our old house some years ago. They are just stunning when they flower.
I’ve always puzzled over the name too – given their small size they don’t seem like an ideal hanging tree.
They are quite extraordinary Amanda, and it’s the last tree in the garden to lose its leaves in the winter too. :)
I love all your trees- even the baby hazel nut seedlings!
I have a couple of baby arborvitae cedar trees that I was going to try out in a bonsai setting, but after reading more about them, decided I’m not dedicated enough. :)
I want to live on a small island in the Atlantic.
Hmm- Chincoteague Island, VA, USA, specifically.
Heidi that island is lovely from what I’ve seen on your blog of it. Good choice!
I killed several bonsai trees that I tried to raise once upon a time – never again :(
What lovely trees – how will you ever fit them all in your backyard? Wouldn’t it be nice to have your own hazels? You’ll have to find a spot for one of them.. :)
We had hazels from the big tree last autumn, I was just cracking the last of them over the weekend, to put in a bread… I think Brian has plans to turn the garden into a nut orchard…
When I grow up, I want to go back and re-live my childhood, where I grew up (the first time) on a farm, next to a small woods on the edge of a pond – I want to re-live that experience because I didn’t appreciate it then – but I sure would now!
But, … we can’t go home again, … can we?
You can always go home in your imagination, no limits there… but the past ‘is another country, they do things differently there’. Farm, woods, pond, – sounds wonderful. What did you raise on the farm?
It was basically a small chicken farm, with two fields on each side of the house, where corn, potatoes, and tomatoes were rotated annually – on the far edge of the fields were about 10 chicken houses, and then the woods and the pond. It was an idyllic childhood environment, complimented by a semi-serious collie breeding operation.
But, yes, I do have the memories of a wasted youth in paradise.
I am grown up and I like where I live – all over the place. I love my time in heavenly Bagni di Lucca and I also love my life in Brisbane and Main Beach and all the other places I visit. I love your trees. I hope they keep on growing for you.
We love visiting your blog and reading about your travels Debra – always a treat :)
Your Judas Tree: Lots of speculation about Judas and hanging but I really like the following fanciful rendition of the tale.
That’s lovely Miskmask – I hadn’t come across that one when I wrote this. It sounds like something out of Rudyard Kipling :D
I love that story- I hadn’t ever heard of red bud trees being called Judas trees, before- just red buds. :)
Hi Doc, I have to start again down here, as I have limited the comment thread size to three, they shrink to the right and look really silly. I would love to read more about your childhood one day, do you have photos from the farm? To me, who grew up in the city, it’s like stepping into story books, though I know the reality of farming is nothing like a story ;) Were the collies bred for working dogs? I am guessing they were…
I have an oak tree sapling growing in a window box on top of the bike shed, courtesy of the evil squirrel…..maybe you can find a home for it? Very jealous of your trees, as you know xxxx
From little acorns…. no I don’t think we have room for an oak tree, but maybe you could bonsai it? Or give it to someone who wants to try their hand at bonsai? I tried once and they all died if you recall; nothing worse than dead bonsai trees :(