Trees - Our Botanicultural Heritage

[Andy Collins]

Love the link to the Japanese Maples, very interesting.

Last year, I did some work removing trees at Flatford Mill (Constables famous painting) the idea being to restore the site as it was at the time of painting. We took out about 15 large pops and an old hawthorn hedgerow. As it was SSSI site we were not allowed to burn on site, yet the EA were clearing the banks of the millstream, and burning as they went, all still SSSI??? This, for me, was a contrast to the usual conservation work I've done, and took me a while to get my head around removing very old habitat in the interest of a visual amenity.

[David Humphries]

Love the link to the Japanese Maples, very interesting.

Last year, I did some work removing trees at Flatford Mill (Constables famous painting) the idea being to restore the site as it was at the time of painting. We took out about 15 large pops and an old hawthorn hedgerow. As it was SSSI site we were not allowed to burn on site, yet the EA were clearing the banks of the millstream, and burning as they went, all still SSSI??? This, for me, was a contrast to the usual conservation work I've done, and took me a while to get my head around removing very old habitat in the interest of a visual amenity.

 

Did you note whether the Trees in the paintings are still there Andy?

 

I haven't been there for 10 years or so, and didn't have the inclination at the time, to make the conection between the then study and what's there now.

 

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Edited April 12, 2009 by Monkey-D

[Andy Collins]

Tbh, they were quite full-on days, and i didnt have the time to observe the detail!! Also i think the fact that there were some pretty touristy types about distracted me somewhat:001_tt1: But I have some photos somewhere on the other computer, so I may be able to see if there is something there at some point. http://www.beenthere-donethat.org.uk/images.big/flatfordmill01abig.jpg is a recent pic of the area. From memory, the pops we felled were roughly to the right of the haywain in the painting, following a ditchline in a sort of crescent shape away from the R/H of the picture. The millstream is certainly more over-grown these days, tho the EA removed much of the scrubby growth, retaining the larger trees.

Edited April 12, 2009 by Andy Collins

[Rod]

looks simmilar to me

[David Humphries]

looks simmilar to me

 

Willy Lotts Cottage.

 

Have you been inside? it's amazing to see the Oak beams and timber construction still standing strong.

 

 

 

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[Rod]

sorry monkeyd i havn't just searched for pics out of curiosity to see if it looked the same still:001_smile:

 

bet its a nice old house though

[Andy Collins]

I cant help but wonder how much artistic license Constable used in his painting to capture the images we see. Were there more or less trees in the landscape than shown in the paintings? Are we right to fell old trees and hedgerows to try and capture something of times gone by?

[David Humphries]

So.........finally got around to taking the team (City of London-NLOS) over to the 15000 acres of Windsor Great Park (Crown Estates) for a guided walk & talk, with Bill Cathcart & Ted Green.

 

It's only taken me 6 years to arrange it after the invite.

 

Was a great opportunity to compare both Management and practical set ups.

Will reciprocate the invite and possibly exchange team members for a day or twos work sometime in the future.

 

The site has an embarrisingly rich (but fragile) Veteran and Ancient population, some a thousand years old and upwards of 300cm diameter

 

A couple of shots........................

 

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[David oakman]

David that is my favourite place i have stood by most of them trees i eat my lunch under the proped oak. The leaning oak was interesting as i have got to do the same on a yew tree which is leaning over a driveway and i need to see if it moves any more, the problem with it was ivy the ivy in the top was like a tree of its own. lovely pictures.

[Mesterh]

Some truly impressive pics there Monkeyd:thumbup1: