2019 tree following 2: The Mermaid Quay plane

I caught sight of the Moon through the branches of my new tree-following subject when I visited at lunchtime on February 11

At last, my decision has been made. After much dithering I have chosen the London plane in Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay, as my tree-following subject for 2019. The Latin name is either Platanus × acerifolia or Platanus × hispanica.

Will the tree still be standing at the end of the year? Who knows? There is so much change going on in this area that you can never be too sure. The day before I visited to take these pictures I saw a smaller street tree nearby was being cut back to a stump.

The London plane pictured from the South

I am hoping there will be plenty going on around this tree as the seasons change, but at first I was put off by the fact that it is such a busy area for tourists and shoppers. In the end I just brazened it out and snapped away, trying not to make eye contact with anyone who thought I was acting strangely. I also tried to keep people out of the pictures.

The tree shown from the East, with the now defunct Gourmet Guru street food cafe next to it – it’s getting rather shabby…

The bark flakes off naturally, but it’s sad to see the stumps of a few branches hacked off on the left

I’m not sure if the light bulbs came with the street food cafe or are left over from Christmas – not really very festive

The old chimney pots of the Duchess of India restaurant, which occupies a Victorian building

Plane tree seed balls always remind me of chocolate truffles…

…but you can see the seeds clearly in this close-up

A ripped plastic bag caught in the topmost branches

The well-proportioned trunks

More peeling – and colourful – bark

Another view of the brightly-painted street cafe

Shiny modern architecture with red brick and turquoise tiling

I can’t get enough of this bark

The street light next to the plane tree

With these blue skies it almost feels like spring – but this plane tree should really come into its own in the autumn. i wonder what changes we will see before then…