(First post) Planting a native woodland, East Sussex

[sandspider]

Any pics of them coming into leaf?

 

Bloody freezing here today, but my plum trees are suddenly covered in little leaflets, primroses are out and hopefully Spring is getting closer...

[spandit]

Any pics of them coming into leaf?

 

OK, you asked for it:

 

Alder (a lot of them not doing anything yet):

 

Field maple (this was a surprise as it was a particularly weedy little whip that went in and it seems to be the only one that has come into leaf):

 

 

Some of the wild seeded willow (think it's grey willow but might be cricket bat):

 

 

Spindle (only one I could find in leaf):

 

 

Wild cherry - going great guns - they're all like this:

 

 

Think this is crab apple:

 

 

Hazel all doing well, although leaves still tucked up in the buds:

 

 

Common hawthorn, this is all thriving:

 

 

Blackthorn, scarecely off the mark and this was about the most advanced I could find:

 

 

Hornbeam:

 

 

As I mentioned, the oak and beech are still dormant but so are the big trees so not too worried. Aspen is doing nothing, which surprises me as I thought it was a pioneer plant

[sandspider]

Thanks. Looking good!

[spandit]

Thanks. Looking good!

 

Thank you for making me look - wouldn't've found the field maple otherwise

[spandit]

Damn the Woodland Trust - thought they'd forgotten to invoice me but it arrived today.... grrr...

[spandit]

At last, oak is beginning to come alive...

 

 

Alder is doing better too:

 

[sandspider]

Good to see. Looking healthy. When I think about it, I'm surprised by how slowly trees grow. Planting a woodland really is a long term project...

[spandit]

Was given some ash seedlings by a neighbour so have bunged those into the mix too. It is lovely seeing the little dead looking twigs that were delivered turning into live plants but I know what you mean, they're not rapid.

 

That said, I cut a different neighbour's osier willow down to a stump. By the end of the year, it was 12 feet tall and an inch thickness on some of the larger stems. I've planted a load of the twigs here and they're already looking good in places.

 

Got a power company coming next week to trim some trees which should result in some willow mulch

[spandit]

Turns out at least one of the ash seedlings was a sycamore, I think. Anyway, one of the beeches has finally made a start:

 

 

I also noticed that the medlar we planted this winter is producing fruit, which we weren't expecting for another few years...

 

[sandspider]

Still looking good.