Ode to Trees

We ‘do’ trees here on the west coast and generally they grow much bigger and faster than gardening books predict. If you read that a corkscrew willow should be 20 feet tall in 10 years, we assume it will be that height in 4 to 5 years. We planted one, in innocence, to fill a small space near a fence and cut it down after two years; one of the growth rings was almost 2 inches wide. Eucalyptus the same, although they take a couple of years to develop their root system. Once the roots are established you need to get out of the way or get run over. Trees are a constant source of discussion, amazement and sometimes friction. We show off our flowering ornamentals in January when the rest of Canada is shivering. We scoff at scrubby little survivor spruce trees on the east coast. We sometimes chain ourselves to trees that are being cut down for bad reasons. We fight with neighbours who have planted trees that impede the view. We complain about drifts of pine pollen and brag about drifts of cherry blossoms. It’s complicated.

What isn’t complicated is the grandeur of Cathedral Grove on highway 4 just east of Port Alberni. It is a gift to have trees like this anywhere, but it is a miracle that they are so accessible to any of us who want to see them.

Jim, hardly visible in ratio

How anyone could even think about cutting or vandalizing one of these ancients is absolutely beyond my understanding. Just last week someone removed an 800 year old tree http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/05/18/bc-800-year-tree.html and speculation is that it will be turned into cedar shakes. Really?