Tree following link box for May 2021

The flowers of a horse chestnut tree (Aesculus hippocastanum) in a Cardiff park this week

It’s that time again for the monthly tree-following link box, which will stay open for your tree-related links until 7pm GMT on May 14.

The weeks are flying by so quickly, especially now we in the UK are gradually being granted more freedom of movement as the Covid-19 pandemic lessens its grip here. Sadly many parts of the world are not as lucky.

April was a very cold and dry month but there was some rain in the last week as we moved into May. We have now even had some late hail and snow flurries, although mostly there has been lovely spring sunshine, bright but not hot.

Later in the week I hope to visit the Lombardy poplar tree I am monitoring in Victoria Park, not too far from home, but I wonder what the rest of you tree followers are up to? I’m sure some of you still have snow…

Hopefully you will have something new to report. Any tree-related post is acceptable from contributors old and new.

Point to the post you would like to share, using the link box below. And please don’t forget to leave a comment.

If you are new to tree following, read all about the idea here.

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Tulip time in Victoria Park

Tulips in Victoria Park in April

As usual I took some general pictures around Cardiff’s Victoria Park when I visited in April for the monthly Lombardy poplar tree following update. I found it was tulip time and the cherry trees were also in blossom. Here are the latest images…

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News from the world of trees 2021 #1

Here is another (occasional) round-up of tree news articles from around the world – first one since December so I apologise that it’s a long read! Click on each of the pictures if you would like to see the full stories.

Could blighted American chestnut trees return?

Here’s an interesting one from Sierra, suggested by Diana Studer in Capetown: Before a disastrous blight, the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was a keystone species in eastern forests. Could genetic engineering help bring it back?

Brits urged to spot at-risk sweet chestnuts

Meanwhile in the UK the Royal Horticultural Society is enlisting everyone to log sweet chestnut trees (Castanea sativa), which are under threat from a gall wasp – here’s a report from House Beautiful…

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21 tree following 4: A month is a long time…

Pretty golden leaves of the Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) in Victoria Park this week

For all my good intentions it has been a full month since I visited the magnificent Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park.

I had hoped to see last month’s red male catkins develop but I have been so busy that I missed my chance of an extra visit in between times.

I went to see the tree this week on a cool spring day with sunshine and light cloud. This time the catkins had all gone and instead there were beautiful golden diamond-shaped leaves breaking through. Here are my pictures…

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Tree following link box for April 2021

Cheerful yellow flowers and fresh new leaves on a small Forsythia tree in a neighbour’s garden

It’s that time again for the monthly tree-following link box, which will stay open for your tree-related links until 7pm GMT on April 14.

It’s hard to believe that spring is really here at last and in Cardiff we had a mini heatwave for a few days last week. For the Easter weekend the wind turned around to the north and east so temperatures dropped and yesterday we actually had some hail. But hopefully that was just a blip and warmer days will return soon.

Later in the week I hope to visit the Lombardy poplar tree I am monitoring in Victoria Park, not too far from home, but I wonder what the rest of you tree followers are up to? I’m sure some of you still have snow…

Hopefully you will have something new to report. Any tree-related post is acceptable from contributors old and new.

Point to the post you would like to share, using the link box below. And please don’t forget to leave a comment.

If you are new to tree following, read all about the idea here.

Read Full Post »

Snapshots of Victoria Park in March

Everywhere in Victoria Park on my March visit there were crocus growing in the grass – although these were accidentally in the middle of a flower bed

As usual I took some general pictures around Cardiff’s Victoria Park when I visited in March for the monthly Lombardy poplar tree following update. Here are the latest images…

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2021 tree following 3: Outside looking in

The buds of the Lombardy poplar in Victoria Park have broken

This was the week I needed to visit the Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park and I am happy to say I chose just the right day. Tuesday was sunny but I knew the rest of the week was going to be stormy with heavy rain and up to 50 mph gales.

I was hoping the pointed buds I had seen previously might have opened by now and I was not disappointed. This time I also decided to take pictures of the tree from beyond the railings in the park, to get a different perspective. Here are my pictures…

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Snapshots of Victoria Park in February

Edwardian drinking fountain in Cardiff’s Victoria Park

As I visit my favourite Lombardy poplar in Victoria Park every month for a tree following blog post, I am taking snapshots of everything else in the park on these trips as well. In these Covid times I don’t get out much. Here are my February snaps…

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2021 tree following 2: Barking up the right tree

The top of the Lombardy poplar in Victoria Park against cold clouds

It has been a cold week with some light snow and sleet but I think I chose the best day, on Wednesday, to visit the tree I am following this year. It’s a Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park.

On a sunny morning I set off in my new padded jacket, which kept me very snug as snow flurried in the icy air.

Here are my snaps – mostly concentrating on the bark of the tree before my attention is taken later in the year by leafiness, I hope.

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Tree following link box for February 2021

A tall street tree – probably birch?

It’s that time again for the monthly tree-following link box, which will stay open for your tree-related links until 7pm GMT on February 14.

Here in Cardiff the days grow slightly longer but “as the days lengthen the cold strengthens”. We have had lots of rain this month, some pleasant days and a smattering of snow for one day only. The temperatures are forecast to be around freezing all this next week.

At some point I must force myself to walk to visit the Lombardy poplar tree I am monitoring in Victoria Park, not too far from home.

It was wonderful in January to welcome some new tree followers and hopefully our regulars will also have something to report despite the coronavirus lockdown. Any tree-related post is acceptable from contributors old and new.

Point to the post you would like to share, using the link box below. And please don’t forget to leave a comment.

If you are new to tree following, read all about the idea here.

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