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Saturday, February 25, 2012
FEBRUARY PRICKLES RE-VISITED AND REVISED
Two problems crop up this time
every year. One is . . . well, not exactly a problem - but intriguing; to tell hawthorn
and blackthorn apart.
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| The upright twig on the right is clearly blackthorn but . . . although I think there is hawthorn coming in from the left, I'm really not certain. Behind them, flowering prettily (as it does all year) is gorse. |
For the most part, it’s easy. But
there are bushes, here and there, where I get it wrong. Not that, in the course
of world history this really matters - it’s just that the distinctive
blackthorn thorns aren’t evenly spread and until the leaves / blossom begin to
appear . . . I can stand in front of a bush feeling very silly and cross with
myself.
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| A hawthorn leaf bud breaks open. See the short thorns? But blackthorns have a lot of short thorns too - even though the the remarkably long ones are what we are likely to look for. |
The easy bit is that hawthorn
produces its leaves before its blossom - and that’s what’s beginning to happen.
Whereas blackthorn blossoms before its leaves break - which is not what’s
beginning to happen yet.
The other problem (and I always
feel a bit uneasy about this) is that, for some readers, hawthorn and blackthorn
are special trees. It’s not that I object to people finding them special - it’s
just that I sometimes think we go adrift from each other at this time of year.
I am specially impressed by blackthorn. Hawthorn’s ok too. But I don’t consider
either of them to be magical - not in the really 'magic' kind of way. And I
suppose I get defensive on behalf of other trees and plants that I keep an eye
on for this blog. The elderberry and sycamore, field maples (if that’s what they are) and the
miles of blackberries and alexanders . . . and, later on, dandelions and viper’s
bugloss . . . even the seaweed! - I’m sticking up for them. They are as ‘special’
to me as May and Sloe. And gorse of course.
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| The tree on the right is one I plant to come back to later in the year. Beyond it is Sandsfoot Castle - built during the reign of HenryVIII. |
* * *
About ‘Tree Following’.
I’ve put a box in the sidebar for
this. If you’d like to let me know when you post about ‘your’ tree (don’t
assume I know automatically because I follow your blog - I might miss it) I’ll
put a note there.
Further down the page, there's a blog list of people with trees they are paying special attention to. This updates itself automatically whenever a post is posted so it doesn't take any notice of content - it's simply the latest on that blog, whether it's anything to do with trees or not!
All photos taken today, February 25th 2012, except for the hawthorn leaf - which was yesterday.
Monday, February 20, 2012
FUNGI IN FEBRUARY
I'm going back to February 4th (when the ground was frozen solid and the light was dim) because I don't want to miss showing you the fungi I saw in the woods -
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| This is the fungus we met first a couple of weeks ago in the post 'I'm a Tree Follower - What About You?' |
by a river where there are a lot of fallen and felled trees. In these pictures, they are yew and sycamore.
I won't pretend to know anything about them, just put them here for you to see - though if anyone would like to suggest what they are - that WOULD be interesting!
It's forever striking me how interest shifts as one gets closer to things. It's almost as if they become something else completely.
A few years ago, I decided there was no reason why I shouldn't name fungi in my own way - devise new names. That way, I wouldn't run the risk of misleading anyone, of saying things are what they are not - and I named one after pasta shells. As part of the Blogger setup, you can see what words people have typed into a search engine to land up here, on Loose and Leafy. It's surprising how often people are looking for 'Fungi which look like pasta'! This one, I now name 'Mutton Pie'.
Though when you look at its underside . . .
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| Enlarged! |
Part of the underside of 'Mutton Pie' fungus.
There were quite a few like this (about six inches across) on the logs in the picture above. I don't like them much - though they are interesting. The top-side texture is strange. (They were growing flush with the bark so I couldn't see their underneaths.) They seem to have dragons' scales growing through them.
I'm not sure if the green is an intrinsic part of the organism or a mould that sets in or .. . what! (Remember the picture above is enlarged from about two square inches.)
Further along the track, growing from the remains of a tree which still has its roots in the ground was this.
These are quite big. I call them 'Uplighters'.
The Mutton Pies were growing on wood which was beginning to flake away. So was the one with dinosaur's scales. The Uplighters are on a tree that still has life in its roots, with what seem to be suckers growing out from them. The fungi below are growing on wood that has been left in place long enough after felling for moss to grow over the bark - but they are not flaking away and keep their shape.
This is what they look like close to.
I haven't got a name for them yet. Have you?
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This is the
elderberry tree I am following.
February 19th 2012.
When I set out to
take the picture, there was sunshine.
No sooner had I shut
the door behind me than
evening fell and the
light failed.
Still - enough was
left to see by!
|
 |
Here's an update on other people who are 'following' trees.
Posts marked in bold are ones which have been published since the last Loose and Leafy post on February 11th 2012.
Recent Posts
Moongazy Girl - is also following a Horse Chestnut
- click HERE for her first tree-following post.
(And if you'd like to know why her Horse Chestnut is male - you'll need to read her second post HERE!)
Gardening Ways - First Post in a Series about Gary's chosen tree
- a magnificent plane at Compton Verney in Warwickshire.
Tree Care Tips - Where 'Forest Keeper' is following
will be following this year at On the Edge Gardening.
- Lime (Tilia x europaea) and Copper Beech (Fagus sylvatica “Atropurpurea”).
Her second post is now up The Eyes Have It!
Hyde Daily Photo - The Tree Un-named - Two Posts . . .
. . . The Bottom of a Tree and The Top of a Tree
(with the middle HERE!)
The Wilder Gardener is following an Ash in his garden
- he introduces it in a post called 'Hedging My Bets'.
Let me know if you would like your blog added to the list
- either by leaving a note in comments
Ditto, let me know whenever you post about ‘your tree’
and I'll put an updated link to it here.
Important!
If your tree is not here
- or you are not here and should be
- or if your latest post is not here
. . . let me know!
And
Remember - you can also keep in touch with other tree-bloggers by signing up with
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Saturday, February 11, 2012
HOW COULD I ABANDON A SYCAMORE?
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| This is the elder, I'm following . . . |
. . . but how could I abandon last year's tree? I've been following it for several years.
So I went back for a catch-up visit.
Near enough, everything's the same with the sycamore. But that, in its way, is inspiring. It's probably one of the things we look for in a mature tree. Its solidity. It's bound-to-be-there-ness.
And that is true of this.
Its trunks will hardly dwindle. Even if the tree were to die - they'd still be there.
The path beyond might have changed - but it hasn't!
Here it is now . . .
and . . .
here it was in February 2011.
In this picture, the tree itself is in the right of the frame. In the 2012 photo (above) we are a little further along. But give it a couple of seconds and you'll get your bearing.
In this picture, the tree itself is in the right of the frame. In the 2012 photo (above) we are a little further along. But give it a couple of seconds and you'll get your bearing.
The Asplenium scolopendrium (Hart's Tongue Fern) is still below it, a few feet down the bank. It looked a bit tired last year, but it's come through the winter refreshed.
Can't all be easy sailing for the sycamore. One of its twigs has fallen - but it has many to spare!
And, between its toes, our old friend from last year (and the year before!) the Arum maculatum - fresh and new and green and . . . yes! still there!
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| Arum Maculatum is also known as 'Lords and Ladies' and 'Jack in the Pulpit'. |
This was what it looked like for the post of February 7th 2011. Further ahead than it is at present - which surprised me. (You can see the whole post about the tree as it was last February HERE.)
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| I'm a tree follower - what about you? |
BLOGS FOLLOWING TREES
Moongazy Girl - is also following a Horse Chestnut - click HERE for her first tree-following post.
Gardening Ways - First Post in a Series about Gary's chosen tree - a magnificent plane at Compton Verney in Warwickshire.
Gill Heavens of On
the Edge Gardening has posted
an Introduction to the trees she will be following
this year at - Lime (Tilia
x europaea) and Copper Beech (Fagus
sylvatica “Atropurpurea”)
Arigna Gardener - Twisted Willow - Introduction
Hyde Daily Photo - The Tree Un-named - Two Posts . . .
. . . The Bottom of a Tree and The Top of a Tree (with the middle HERE!)
Down by the Sea
. . . The Bottom of a Tree and The Top of a Tree (with the middle HERE!)
Down by the Sea
Let me know if you would like your blog added to the list - either by leaving a note in comments or email me at looseandleafy@googlemail.com
Ditto, let me know whenever you post about ‘your tree’ and I'll put an updated link to it here.
And
Ditto, let me know whenever you post about ‘your tree’ and I'll put an updated link to it here.
And
Remember - you can also keep in touch with other tree-bloggers by signing up with
Sunday, February 5, 2012
I'M A TREE FOLLOWER - WHAT ABOUT YOU?
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| It's a good time of year to see the shape of trees. |
With Natalie deciding not to continue with Tree Year, I'd like to find another way of following the trees followed by people who are following trees. (If you see what I mean!)
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| Yew bark, which can be vividly red when wet, turns pale in frost and ice. |
I was already following trees before I came across Tree Year - I expect that's true of others too - though I hadn't been doing so in specific blocks of time - just trundling along with posts which said 'This is what's happening to that tree,' whenever it struck me to do so.
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| Felled and fallen trees can be very, very interesting. |
Last week, I said I'd be following an elderberry tree for a while. Laura at Patio Patch is following a Wych Hazel. Elizabeth at Welsh Hills Again is following a Horse Chestnut.
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| It's good to see who lives on a tree! |
If they (you) or anyone wants attention drawn to their 'special tree' posts on Loose and Leafy, let me know and I'll put a link at the foot of my next post - whatever it's about. No special day. No set time - just let me know if you post (either by leaving a comment or by emailing me at looseandleafy@googlemail.com). If enough people are following trees, I'll add a tab with a list at the top of the blog.
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| This Hart's Tongue Fern is growing on a fallen Yew. See the Ladybird hiding between its icy leaves? |
It doesn't have to be a living tree. Lots happens on dead trees too. And it makes sense too to follow a particular path through trees. To be terribly lax about language - anything goes! (Almost!)
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| And moss! |
Esther Montgomery's letting me use one of her little drawings as a sort of motif for this. (You'll see it at the foot of this post.) If you want to use it too - you are welcome to do so.
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| And fungi on another fallen tree. |
There's so much to see on and near trees, even when the weather is frosty and cold.
There are things to notice, even on trees which may have no leaves in spring.
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| This is where the tree with exposed roots (above) is supported by a tree on the other side of the path. |
Do let me know about your trees!
Meanwhile, here's an elderberry shoot on 'my' tree. I'm rather pleased the tree I've chosen has lots of lichen. We'll be able to keep an eye on that too.
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| I'm a tree follower - what about you?
BLOGS FOLLOWING
TREES
This list is already out of date - more blogs are added each time I post.
Soon, I'll put a complete list under a tab at the top of the blog. (Let me know if you would like your blog added to the list - either by leaving a note in comments or email me at looseandleafy@googlemail.com whenever you post an update on ‘your tree’.)
The Blackberry Garden
Moongazy Girl Gardening Ways Small Matters Tree Care Tips On the Edge Gardening Arigna Gardener
Remember - you can also keep in touch with other
tree-bloggers by signing up with
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