I’m attempting to reforest a swampy area fed by underground seepage from a spring . A hardpan layer lies beneath a layer of clay loam. Digging the planting holes has had it’s difficulties – rock hard in the drier months and very boggy at other times. A pick-axe was useful at times. While I planted exotic trees because of their affinity with growing in wet situations, I also planted native trees such as Cabbage Trees and Tree Ferns. I also planted two small Kahikatea seedlings – these are slow growing and are planted for posterity. We happen to have many Totara trees. Some are about 20-30 metres and still growing at about 80 to 100 years old. Tree have an important significance in stories Maori people tell of Tane, the god of the forest.
Thinking about trees and people in this way, reminds me of two quotes I read in the United Nations Environment Programme: Billion Trees Campaign :
“The great French Marshall Lyautey once asked his gardener to plant a tree. The gardener objected that the tree was slow growing and would not reach maturity for 100 years. The Marshall replied, ‘In that case, there is no time to lose; plant it this afternoon!’” John F. Kennedy
“Trees are poems that Earth writes upon the sky. We fell them down and turn them into paper, that we may record our emptiness.” Kahlil Gibran
This purpose of this post is really to experiment with using Rockyou slideshow to show captioned pictures of some trees I planted in this swampy area behind my garden.
morninghasbroken said,
March 26, 2007 @ 8:35 pm
I wanted to check out your blog since you had commented over at mine. You have some great reading here! I loved reading about all the different trees that of course we don’t have here in mid-west America. I can also relate to your grandson being a toddler and all. Our toddler here likes to check out everything too! Just part of being a toddler…but for this older mommy it can be a little aggravating at times!
Thanks too for the link on your blogroll…I’m honored!
jennylitchfield said,
March 27, 2007 @ 8:31 am
I find it fascinating to read about what others are doing in their parts of the world. Toddlers are certainly challenging and character forming. No problems about the blogroll link. Cheers, Jenny.
dibnah said,
April 5, 2007 @ 9:37 am
I like you slide show very interseting too. Did you write the tune
jennylitchfield said,
April 6, 2007 @ 9:47 am
Unfortunately I don’t any ability to write a tune. I enjoy the talents of others. Glad you found the slideshow interesting. Cheers Jenny.
My Garden ~ planted trees today « Jenny Litchfield said,
April 8, 2007 @ 9:30 am
[...] a previous post, I included a Rockyou slideshow showing trees planted in the swampy area. Today as we dug the planting holes, the clay was heavy and ’gluggy’ and water [...]
Idetrorce said,
December 16, 2007 @ 5:26 am
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce