'Servicing' a veteran torminalis

[codlasher]

I was always pondering this too. There are a lot of hedgerow wild service trees in the surrounding area, right down the valley to Great Missenden.

 

The oldest one that I know of is nearby and my father and I both think it was planted around 1704 when there was a celebration of tree planting/avenue planting to celebrate the ascension to the throne by Queen Anne. There are others of that age scattered about in amongst the older stands of beech. They are all of a similar size to the one in your pictures.

 

There is a history of Royal 'stories' relating to tree work in that close area so I swing in the chequers name being related to the tree rather than any other story!

 

There are also many 'stealth planted' youngsters around and I can only hope that they remain undiscovered except by those who recognise them as being interesting:001_tongue: Providing the guards last too which will keep the muntjac at bay.

codlasher

[David Humphries]

Interesting codlasher

 

Have you ever noted the seed germinating and getting away under the big Veteran you describe?

 

 

 

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[codlasher]

Never any seed regen but there was direct growth from the roots, quite a lot too. We tried seed picked from the tree, the 'chequers' but never had any luck. Even trying to set the seeds by putting them in the freezer. The best success was from gently persuading a piece of bark from a root complete with its attached youngsters and potting up these.

The area where this one stood was occasionally grazed until Christmas by sheep to ensure the grass was kept in good condition so the years that the youngsters appeared was sporadic! Its site in the meadow meant that modern farm vehicle traffic never got too close to compact the roots which in my eyes is always a plus.

Of the two other veterans, one is amongst big beech monoculture so any seedlings probably won't get a chance. The other may seed, as a big spanish chestnut came over and I cleared all around it for interests sake.....Having only 'discovered' the WST in amongst the oak and chestnut. That was a very good feeling! This area was full of very big veterans and off the beaten track of the forestry so not often visited, except from field walking/fence checking.

Several are now 'stealth planted', as I wrote in my earlier post and guarded in the area using older guards that don't break down with UV. In this way I hope to visit when I'm really old and see the fruits of my labour!

A friend who lives over Cheltenham way and involved with trees commercially was giving young WST's away last year to folk who were interested in them which was good. I was given a cedar of lebanon from her quite some years back which came from Westonbirt arboretum. This is living in the grounds of a manor house nearby and about 30' tall now.

codlasher

Edited November 10, 2013 by codlasher

[David Humphries]

me and the team were over working in bucks today and stopped off for some refreshment at the 900 year old 'Royal Standard of England'

 

this painting caught my eye........wild service perhaps

 

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