News from the world of trees 2020 #4

Here is another monthly round-up of tree news articles from around the world – and in some ways trees are more important than ever during the current Covid-19 pandemic. Click on each of the pictures if you would like to read the full stories.

Hug a tree to overcome isolation

Iceland’s forestry service has come up with a novel way to overcome the sense of isolation many people suffer because of Covid-19 preventative measures, reports the BBC…

Londoner labels street trees with love

During the lockdown someone has started writing captions in chalk for the trees of Walthamstow, identifying each species, according to TimeOut…

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Canton street plants during the lockdown

One of my favourite mosses towards sunset – Pohlia nutans – nodding thread-moss or copperwire moss

I used to wander the streets of Canton in Cardiff quite often, taking pictures of the street plants, but it has been some years now (see previous posts here). The current Covid-19 lockdown has revived my interest as I am now able to leave the house only rarely, for some exercise.

The majority of the pictures here were taken on a walk to the post office and the great thing about it was that there were so few people out and about that most of the time I was alone with the plants…

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Little things mean a lot in lockdown

Marks & Spencer recently gave away ‘silly’ little seed pots…

During the coronavirus lockdown, despite still working full time at home, my attention has turned to growing things. Having neglected the garden for years I now have a bit more time and inclination to grow things in pots.

I have started in a small way with these free seeds from Marks & Spencer. Recently they were offering these Little Garden boxes – one free with every £20 spent in the food hall. Of course the scheme is mainly aimed at children, of which I have none, but I still thought I would have some fun myself with these things.

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2020 tree following 4: An alternative hazel…

The Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay is closed for the duration of the coronavirus lockdown

These are grim times here in Wales and in many other parts of the world with the coronavirus pandemic leading to so many deaths and the lockdown of normal society to try to contain the Covid-19 cases.

So it is a minor irritation, I suppose, that I will not be able to visit the Turkish hazels in front of the Wales Millennium Centre this month. They were so close to where I worked in Cardiff’s County Hall until we were all sent to work at home.

From here in the Canton area it would take more than an hour to walk to the bay and another hour to walk back. Or it would take two buses and in these days of social distancing that would just be too risky – and it could be said that my journey was not essential.

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Tree following link box for April 2020

Sticky buds of horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) opening into leaf in Thompson’s Park, Cardiff, on March 23

The tree-following link box has now closed for another month.

At last it’s spring. But for most of us this is probably a spring like no other we have known. Although some countries may have escaped the coronavirus pandemic for now, in the UK we are in Covid-19 lock-down, meaning we can leave our homes only for essential business.

Just one of the poignant aspects of this last few weeks is that now the months of heavy rain in South Wales have made way for glorious sunshine and we are unable to go outside to enjoy it.

Thanks so much to everyone who contributed in April, despite the restrictions. You will find everyone’s updates below, so enjoy exploring…

Firstly a huge welcome back to Lucy Corrander, who hosted Tree Following for so many years…

Lucy Corrander – Loose and Leafy in Halifax – two sycamores

Dan McShane – Washington State – Quercus Garryana

Erika Groth in Sweden – the snow is melting – possibly Salix

Alison at the Blackberry Garden – quince – are the leaves a little pale?

Flighty’s Plot – Liz’s white oak in Lexington, Kentucky, and Mike’s plum tree

Frances at Island Threads, off the North West coast of Scotland – Populus in the garden

Pat – Squirrelbasket – Cardiff, Wales – Turkish hazel in Roald Dahl Plass – an alternative

Hollis – In the Company of Plants and Rocks – Laramie, Wyoming – mystery tree in LaBonte Park…

JayP – Amblings around Penwith (Cornwall) – Cornus kousa

If you are new to tree following, read all about the idea here. Why not join us? Just point us to any tree-related post you would like to share, using the link box published on the 7th of each month and lasting for a week. Although we all try to publish every month, we are very forgiving if you post less often.

See you next month…

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Thompson’s Park in early spring

Magnolia bloom in Thompson’s Park, Cardiff

I started the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown a fortnight ago with the intention of visiting a park every week for some exercise, but already I am slacking. So far I have visited only one – Thompson’s Park.

It is our nearest park but I hadn’t walked through it for a few years, since I started working down in Cardiff Bay. There was a time when I visited it monthly, and here are my images from those days.

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