Sunday 21 June 2015

plus and minus

I love our stand of Scots Pine trees which are by the farm house.   They are always full of interest.
a) they protect us from the prevailing west wind when there is a gale blowing.
b)they provide a comfortable roost for numerous pheasants every night, well away from marauding foxes.
c)greater spotted woodpeckers adore them, running up and down the trunks and flinging off great shards of bark.

But there are minus points too.
a) pine needles fall off in their thousands at this time of the year, blocking all the gutters around the farmhouse so that the guttters have to be cleared regularly or the rain overflows them.
b)mowing round their trunks is a monumental chore and yet it has to be done.
c)pine cones fall off in their thousands and cover the drive out on to the lane with a thick layer.   Walk up the drive at your peril - it is easy to twist one's ankle on a pine cone believe me.   Rake them up by the barrow-load, turn your back and the drive is covered again!

But like a lot of other things in life, for all their faults I wouldn't be without them for the world.

9 comments:

A Heron's View said...

Lovely trees Pat they certainly make a fine entrance and like yourself our gutters get clogged with leaves, our culprits in the main are our Ash trees and the Oaks are far enough away not to give any bother.

thelma said...

I find them very attractive but alien in the landscape, though of course they must be indigenous given their name. But they protect you and that matters where trees are concerned. The trees that make me cross are the sycamore, with their keys that always turn into baby saplings and also the maple, especially when they get a host of green/black fly, and everything gets covered in stickiness.

Rachel Phillips said...

Nowt wrong with a few Scots Pine.

Heather said...

Would you be able to burn the pine cones in your woodburner? I imagine they would smell lovely. I have similar feelings about wisteria and honeysuckle. I love both but get tired of the daily sweep-up when they drop their flowers. Pleasures have to be paid for!

Tom Stephenson said...

Scots Pines are very special trees in Wiltshire and Somerset. They are always to be found growing on ancient archeological sites - sometimes in clumps on barrows, etc. They have been self-seeding for a few thousand years, I think, and are a fantastic indicator of old, untouched sites of interest. I love them.

angryparsnip said...

The photo would make a lovely header photo.
Is that your driveway ? What a lovely entryway.
The trees are living sculpture in that view.
They are worth the mess.

cheers, parsnip

Joanne Noragon said...

I remember as a six or seven year old, spending an afternoon in my uncle's pine woods, reading a book, back against a trunk. The ground was so deep in fallen pine needles it was like walking on a mattress.

Frances said...

You might smile to know that I love pinecones, have spent hours drawing them, and even made an etching of a pine cone years ago. I have a couple of specimens on a bookshelf within view of where I type. Might wish to do a 2015 drawing of one of them tomorrow in your honor...honour.

I do agree with you about the issue of misused apostrophes. Hoping your friend's suggestion might be taken to heart by the owners of the new tea shop.

Best wishes.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Tom's comment is interesting - I didn't know that.
Frances - I love them too but I can still twist my ankle if I walk awkwardly on one!

I shall suggest to the farmer that we try a few on the wood burner.
Thanks for calling.