A Tale of Two Trees ...

Spotted early Saturday morning in at the bottom of Tanners Hill, this maple (acer campestre) was being lovingly tended by a nearby resident. Weeds removed, food given for the coming growing season and some colourful spring companions going in. Well done! It would be wonderful to see as many locals as possible doing the same for their street trees in the next couple of weeks (at least, the more established ones - younger plantings tend to like being free of competition). What a spring we would have in our borough!

At the other end of the spectrum and across the other side of the borough, a very sorry sight at Brockley Cross. Last weekend a car managed to wipe out bollards, signs and, more distressingly, a rowan (sorbus aria) street tree. 

Photo courtesy @BrockleyCentral via @masalawalacafe

It seems this tree location is cursed - the tree under there somewhere is the third tree to have been lost in that location. The first died through drought back in 2012, the second was wantonly destroyed by vandals in 2013 ...

... and now this. Fortunately no-one was hurt in this incident; the driver and occupant reportedly ran away after the crash, but what spell or chant is needed to keep the next replacement rowan safe?!