Saturday, April 25, 2009

Horse Chestnut


This is the horse chestnut tree outside my window. The leaves came out substantially this week -- last weekend they were little more than buds, as you can see in the foreground of the final photo in this post. It’s amazing how fast they grow. You almost feel like you could watch them.

I love this tree, but it will inevitably be cut down. It's growing in my neighbor’s back yard, right against the wall that separates our properties. Eventually, to save the wall, he’ll have to remove the tree -- and because it’s in his yard I have no say in the matter. Fortunately, he’s not particularly attentive to household maintenance.

We have a maple in the back that we're allowing to grow -- it's small now, but my hope is it will replace this tree when it finally meets its maker.

Meanwhile, almost all the petals have fallen off the magnolia, and the redbud and dicentra are blooming. Our Manhattan back yard is in full springtime mode!
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7 comments:

  1. Reya MellickerApril 25, 2009 at 4:33 PM

    The tree is gorgeous. In NYC there isn't a lot of room for trees, is there? I would be troubled by that, if I lived there.

    Here the green dust is sifting down on everything. I'm drinking my funny Chinese herbal tea, hoping for the best. I bet if I lived in NYC my allergies woudn't be so fierce. Maybe I'd like a landscape relatively tree-free.

    Who knows?

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  2. R.L. BourgesApril 25, 2009 at 5:25 PM

    Just got back from Albi where the chestnut trees are in full bloom. This one is definitely a NYC tree, isn't it? reaching and reaching for the light - and doing a good job of it. Hope he gets to stick around for a good while still.

    Have a great weekend, Steve.

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  3. SquirrelApril 25, 2009 at 11:49 PM

    it looks so green and cool--only it's 85 degrees in April... everything blooming is a nice transition to the hazy days of summer... Our Magnolias are hanging in there.

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  4. Ronda LaveenApril 26, 2009 at 1:51 AM

    That is very nice tree. May your neighbors less than diligent maintainence schedule prolong its life until the Maple matures.

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  5. BarbaraApril 26, 2009 at 3:11 AM

    It's so cool that you have your very own greenery in the middle of the city. Is there a chance that with pruning the horse chestnut could be saved?

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  6. Merle SneedApril 27, 2009 at 4:57 AM

    Spring here is giving way to summer, much too early.

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  7. lettuceApril 27, 2009 at 7:35 AM

    i have lovely memories of the redbud in NYC

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