First Planting - a little borrowed willow

Today was a good day. Today , together with my version 2.0 child, trees were finally planted.

It has been a long time coming this day, I have pondered it and hoped the day would come - for over 20 years.

Being able to share the day with my 16 year old Daisy made it even better. She will hopefully see more changes to this land than I will given my advancing years.

Anyway, it os March and I haven't got a full plan for the site yet, so there isn't much we can plant. I had to scratch that itch though and get something in that we could watch grow over the summer.

Willow was the obvious choice as we have a boggy area that it will enjoy and it will help dry the ground a little.

I found a farmer (Simon) a 30 minute bike ride from home,  that had some willow growing for biomass (I think). I had tried to buy the willow copies land from him several years ago thinking I could clear it and re-plant woodland given it wasn't being utilised, but he didn't want to sell as he was planning on clearing the willow (I am not sure why it was never harvested for biomass).

Anyway, willow being willow, after clearing, it wasn't going down without a fight. It is sprouting all over the place. Simon doesn't want it and was very happy for me to drop by and prune a little of it.

In theory, the willow sticks, stuck straight into the ground will be happy to grow into fully fledged trees. It is a little late in the season to be doing this (the willow already had cat-kins on it) but if only a few of the sticks take, it will have been worth the effort- and it was all free of charge.


Armed with, well, armfuls, we headed across to the field to plant. 


Our first bit of willow planted! Daisy is laughing here - I persuaded her to give the willow a kiss and wish it "good luck" as it was our first tree - then teased her for being gullible enough to kiss a tree. We had a good time, it was freezing but Daisy kept her usual good humour. 


The northern border at the bottom is quite damp and is out of the way , so it won't block any views - I haven't yet worked out my heights so I need to be careful where I plant until I do that. 


These first trees are a "low risk" experiment really. I am not sure if the rabbits will kill them or perhaps the local deer. We will find out and without a lot of expense. Once we know, I can risk some cash on more trees. 


There is a very boggy section to the South boundary , about half way down. If this willow doesn't sprout here I will be disappointed. It is a perfect place for it. 


It does still look very much like a field doesn't it.



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