... and this is the same tree last year.
I hope this precipitous decline is temporary, possibly caused by the lack of a really cold winter, but I'd be fooling myself to think a nearly fifty-year-old cherry isn't nearing the end of its life.
Though the flowering cherry is pretty, it isn't appropriate to this place or this garden. The large Sycamore on the right is.
If the decline continues next year, it may be time to cut the cherry down.
James,
ReplyDeleteI would be sad to see that cherry tree felled. But I will certainly support your decision to do it when the time comes. Gardening is all about both living and dying and finding the beauty in both. I am sure you will come up with a suitable replacement if it comes to that.
Michael,
ReplyDeleteIt could be something as simple as a small group of dogwoods and red buds. The woods here used to be full of them, but they gradually disappeared as the other trees grew taller, and the dogwoods especially, grew senescent and probably succumbed to anthracnose. Old photos show them surrounding the house in the 60's.
James does the Sycamore seed about in the same way the European sycamore is something of a weed tree?
ReplyDeleteRob, it does seed some, but it's not much of a problem. Nothing like those nasty Norway maples. I hope those don't haunt southern France.
DeleteThe Norway maples are here and a pain the arse. Seed everyehere!
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