Rainy chard harvest

Cherry tree blossoms mark a new beginning

I wanted to report that the cherry tree was removed from the garden yesterday. The impact of seeing the tree being cut down really hit me as Gabriel and I were getting things ready for the crew to arrive yesterday afternoon. The cherry tree had probably been a part of the garden for over 30 years and had provided us with beautiful blossoms every spring. It was hard to believe that such a large tree that had been a fixture of the garden since its early years would be gone in just a few hours.

While it was difficult to see the tree come down, our concerns about the fungus damage were confirmed yesterday. Over half of some sections of the base of the trunk and and an upper branch were damaged and the crew foreman expressed concerns that it could have fallen down in heavy winds.

Fortunately, the crew was very respectful of the garden and took
special care to avoid damaging surrounding plots. While the work was
being done, Gabriel and I pruned a large collection young branches
from the cherry tree that were just beginning to bloom. We've left
them in the garden to share with everyone. Please feel free to take a
few branches.

We'll be making plans soon to re-design the area of the garden where
the cherry tree once stood. We had to remove most of the other plants
that surrounded the tree to minimize potential damage and to make it
easier for the crew to do its work. We went ahead and planted two of
the fucshia plants in the back patio area and need to figure out where
the other plants go as we develop our plans for the center garden.

I want to to make sure that everyone who is interested has an
opportunity to contribute their ideas for this project. Please stay
tuned for more details and to learn how you can get involved.