Before I get started I want to clarify that we love trees. They provide shade in the summer, reduce heating costs, look beautiful, provide food, make oxygen, etc. What’s not to love?
With all that said – we needed to get rid of some trees. When we bought Quarterline the owner had been living there alone as a widow for 11 years. Her kids would come help with yard work, but they had their own homes too, and taking care of mom’s yard most likely came down to mow the lawn, rake the leaves, and “we’ll get to the rest of it another day”.
Here’s what we slated to say good-bye to.
The tree on the far left was one of the painfully obvious ones.
As cool and fairy-like as this looked, the tree was actively dying – and huge.
This poor tree on the right had huge leafless sections, and major roots were unavoidably cut when we went to underground electrical.
And it already had a huge split in it.
The evergreen on the far right is growing into the oak at the end of the driveway – and it reduces visibility when leaving the driveway.
Here you can see it a little better.
Finally there was the evergreen growing up against the guest house and the dwarf apple tree that had seen its better days. I don’t have a picture of it, but one of the major branches that was left of the apple tree had broken in a wind storm and had become a mid-winter snack for the rabbits.
A friend of ours and his dad used to be in the tree cutting business and still have the equipment. He was on break from his regular construction job and had some time to come take them down. Winter is perfect, the ground is froze so hard that the big trucks won’t leave ruts!
Coming home from work, I came across this sight, it’s just starting to tip.
After
It looks so different! The tree with the big split would have been just to the right. of the guest house.
It looks so natural without the big evergreen behind the oak tree!
Just in front of the evergreens in the back is what is left of the dying tree with the fairy mushrooms. Andy and his dad took down a big branch that hung over the house from the tree in front of it.
Still some clean-up left to do, but overall it is a huge improvement. Andy and his dad did a great job. In spring the pole that the yard light was on will be coming out and we’ll assess what needs to be trimmed from the giant apple tree.
We sent Andy & Richie home with the good wood. Once the weather turns warm we’ll have to stock up on marshmallows and hot dogs to work on getting rid of the brush.
Lannon on the Hill 