Six Trees Later..
Early March 2019
To live in a place surrounded by trees is a special thing. It’s very private, the air is clean and if you want to indulge in a spot of forest bathing just trot up the hill and collect the post. That isn’t to say there aren’t downsides.. far too many squirrels for a start. But the big thing is the light. Or potential lack of it. Because trees grow and if they’re too close to the house the natural light, both inside and outside, can diminish proportionately. It’s a problem that can be managed but one that any woodland dweller might need to keep on top of.
When we first moved in Mike built a couple of large raised vegetable beds, terraced into the hillside. Little by little I’ve had to give up using these, not just because The Nibblers large and small gained the upper hand (which they did) but also because the plants never developed robustly in the first place given the increasing shade. It’s become a particular issue this year as we plan for a new greenhouse. The decision was made to enlarge the clearing in which the house sits, just a little bit, by removing the half dozen or so trees responsible for most of the shade. In the photo above this would be from the tall conifer in the foreground through to the ‘Y’ shaped ivy clad tree right of centre.
It’s always a tough call having to cut down trees. Previous owners planted them, or let them seed, so close to the house perhaps without realising just how large they would become. If you’ve been following the blog for a while you might remember that we’ve had to address trees as large as 80′ growing as near as six feet from the roof. I wanted to get the current job done before the leaves returned and the birds started nesting. We managed it, just.
Picture taken yesterday
We knew it would make a difference to the view, but still can’t quite believe how much has been revealed. Suddenly the garden has real depth.
Alongside the raised veggie beds, early March
And now. When I get around to clearing the beds I shall be doing it with a river view.
It’s been a monumental job. Felling the trees was the “easy bit”, to quote the tree fellas. As there was plenty of space in the bottom of the valley they pretty much applied the chainsaw at ground level and let the trunks fall… TIMBEEEEERRR…!! I felt the earth move that day I can tell you. It might have looked easy but it’s a skill to have a tree fall exactly where you want it too.
Early March
You can see how much shade the centre conifer created and it was only going to get worse. It has doubled in size during our few years here and was still growing. It had the potential to be another 80 footer.
Now
Hauling the logs and the branches for shredding back up the hill was another matter entirely. Nothing is easy on a slope this steep. After a morning of pondering and much trial and error a solution was found by hooking a long rope high up in a tree way across the other side of the drive. Using the tree as a fulcrum one end of the rope was tied to the front of a Land Rover. The other to a heap of the branches lying in the valley. Throw the truck into reverse and voila! the branches are hauled up the hill. Well that was the theory. There was, inevitably, some collateral damage but we won’t go there. The plants will grow back. And the hedge. Eventually.
Early March. The probable site of the greenhouse, post at centre bottom marks the spot.
Now
The view is striking but the quality of the light has been transformed. It will be a different picture again when the leaves return but hopefully by then the sun will also be higher in the sky.
Early March
The same spot today
Of course, one of the best views in the garden is now from this tucked away corner where we stuffed the compost bins.
It would have made a great place for a summer house. If only we’d known. Sigh.
Wow. It did totally change things up.
It certainly did. But having exposed it we now need to maintain it!
Such a transformation! I removed 3 conifers in our current garden and it totally changed the space and light. It feels bad to remove trees, but it’s all a balance. I’ve since added back 5 smaller deciduous trees, which I think evens things out. All the extra light you now have will mean you can grow so much more which will also increase the diversity in you garden. Enjoy your new space. Compost bins can be moved 😉
I agree about the balance. We’ve also planted quite a few trees since we’ve been here, but those which will not grow so large and further from the house. I remember when you cut down the conifers, the difference was staggering. And yes, it’s all about the light. We can’t really garden without it.
Fantastic Jessica! You must both be over the moon! I hope you enjoyed a glass of wine after your monumental efforts to remove the brash and timber. From another hillside dweller I totally understand your efforts, and why is it the amount of brash is always so disproportionate in size on the ground to when it was on the tree?? It’s always baffled me. X
It looks a bit different doesn’t it. The pile of branches was huge! It’s a bit like digging a big hole. The amount of earth that comes out is much, much larger than the hole.
It’s hard to cut trees but so necessary. Where we are we have huge Ponderosa Pines, I mean like 100ft or more. We’ve taken down quite a few since we ,moved here, I think 8 total. But we still have MORE!!! and at a tune of $2000-3000 a tree. But as you said, what a difference!!!
Tree work is ridiculously expensive over here as well. Our 80 footer was in the same league price wise. Hopefully we have finished now for a few years, can I put anything in their water do you think, to stop them growing?
Enlightened tree management
The master wordsmith at work, I wouldn’t have expected any less!
Stunning transformation, you won’t regret it.
In the last decade we have had to remove numerous trees from here, starting with 48 leylandii each at least 40′ tall (I know, mere babies compared to your thugs!) . . . such fun. I was sad that a large magnolia went, but it was in a stupid exposed place and the instant it flowered all the blooms dropped in the cold weather, apart from that, don’t miss any of them, and like Julieanne we have planted as many new trees as we could to balance the losses.
Leylandii are the worst. Didn’t I read it’s actually illegal to plant them now, at least above a certain height?
The only tree I regret losing is a copper beech, which was a lovely colour, but it wasn’t very healthy. A couple of years ago a huge branch fell away from it, which apparently happens. They are short lived. So the shape was somewhat compromised as well. We had hoped the tree surgeon would be able to do something with it, but alas no.
Wow!!!!
Seeing the wood for the trees, at last.
It has made such a difference to your light. You will love pottering in your new greenhouse. You can always move the compost bins for a summerhouse – another project on the list?
There is always another project on the list! I have a plan.
The difference in the light is incredible. I wonder what else will benefit from that now.
There was a three week gap between the before and afters, at this time of year that will make a difference in itself. But just walking round the garden the day the trees came down I could feel the extra light and it is incredible. Now to wait and see what happens when the next layer of trees leaf up.
No doubt it was a difficult decision to remove those trees, as I believe most gardeners would go through a certain amount of anxiety about doing so, but the improvement in the amount of light into the garden makes such a difference. Lovely to be able to see more of your river too.
I had company this afternoon, four ducks on the river. They took a couple of hours to explore and paddle their way down the section of river in the photos. We’ve had ducks before but never so clearly seen!
That is quite a transformation.
It certainly is. And all the better to see the wildlife.
Terrific. The sound of the water can be imagined as it weaves around. On a brighter note you probably had a great deal of protection from those wind “storms” like Freya and Gareth. We are quite exposed here and have had a right old beating this winter!
We certainly felt Gareth because it came from the south west, the one direction where we are fairly exposed. In general though the wind tends to go straight over the top of the valley. Up on the road at the top of the hill it is much windier. The downside is that any cold air collects at the bottom of a hill. We’re in a frost pocket.
Oh no – frost pocket! We had that in the last house. But do-able with the veg – just fleece in abundance! Our Rhino greenhouse was put up in December – I put a thermometer in there and it hasn’t been down to zero at all – even in the frost and snow! Our cedar one lasted almost 20 years, but I’m loving the new one much more! Happy growing! Looking forward to seeing your pretty veg flowers!
Interesting. We’ve been weighing up the pros and cons of cedar vs. aluminium. I came to the conclusion that while cedar is nicer to look at aluminium might be longer lasting given the very damp conditions in the valley, not to mention the frost. The jury is still out!
That is an amazing difference, your new view of the river is fantastic. Sarah x
Thanks Sarah. At the bottom of the valley long ranging views are somewhat limited, although we can see Dartmoor from the top of the hill. Having the river is a great bonus.
A bit shocking at first – but how wonderful to enjoy the view of your river!
Six trees out of the hundred that must be here is not so much really. I hoped we timed it so that the disruption to wildlife was minimal, they certainly don’t seem overly perturbed. The biggest problem we had was with a pair of blackbirds that tried nesting in the pile of branches that for a short time were left lying on the ground.
What a shocking difference! Indeed the depth you’ve gained is impressive and I’m envious of those stream views!
It’s an area of the garden I’d hardly ever been in. Now all of a sudden we can see it and it has to be maintained!
A wise move on all counts. The trees that are left will be able to grow properly and the beauty that was reveled is stunning. Somehow I had no idea of the water course at the foot of the hill. We planted a lot of trees and assumed some would not make it. But they all did and now we are trying to decide who gets to stay and who has to go.
The majority of the woodland here has been left to grow entirely by its own devices and we too will have decisions to make in the future. Both the trees and the understorey are hampered by the lack of light when trees grow in an unmanaged way.
It’s certainly made a remendous difference.
We should have done it years ago. For this year I’m going to use the raised beds as nursery beds for young ornamentals. Next year I hope to be back to veggies with a vengeance!
What a huge change! The increased light and improved views are something I’m sure you’ll enjoy every day. Have you planted your vegetable garden yet?
With more landscaping in the offing my plan is to use the veggie garden as nursery beds this year. I am now furiously dividing stuff and raising the ‘spares’ there in the hope that the cost of planting up new borders may be reduced. Next year hopefully I will be trying vegetables again.
Incredible change, but it has to be done sometimes.. we didn’t regret cutting down a huge tree and letting the sunshine in ..
I have never regretting opening up vistas. I think we have now reached the end of it, the house is safer from the threat of falling trees, the balance of trees vs. open space is now right and the garden is totally transformed from where it was before. With the additional light the trees surrounding the clearing should do much better now too.
We did the same as you have done before we built our greenhouse. Oh my, it was so much work! Six 80 foot tall pine trees had to come down. There were so many branches to haul away. It needed to be done, as was yours, but I am very glad that is over now. As I write this my wife and I are sitting in our unheated greenhouse. It is 78 degrees F inside and 38 degrees F outside. The March sun is getting stronger every day.
Yesterday I could barely stay in the current greenhouse, it was so hot! But a greenhouse does need light if it is to function. I’m now wondering if in the future I’m actually going to need shading. Not something I ever had to think about before!
Vastly better. And you still have plenty of trees. And you could move the composters…
I was thinking yesterday we must still have well over a hundred trees here. Probably far more. There were originally twenty conifers directly behind the house which were a threat and had to go. Otherwise we’ve removed less than a dozen. Half a dozen I’ve replaced with smaller growing specimens. So just a bit more planting still to do… 🙂
It’s always sad to see trees go but what fun to give yourselves a new landscape and new vistas. And all that light, wonderful!
The light has made a staggering difference. A whole new space for sun loving plants. But I shan’t be giving up on the woodlanders yet. They will still always be the majority.
Spectacular. The view was stunning before – and now, being able to see the water… well, it’s brilliant, really.
Hi Rexanne!
The small river is a real feature and brings in more wildlife. There were four ducks paddling around down there earlier this week, a real pleasure to watch.
It’s like a whole new garden, Jessica! Unbelievable the difference. How wonderful to be able to see the water more clearly. You must be super pleased.
It makes quite a difference doesn’t it? The garden always felt so closed in before, now we can look outside it. All the better to see the deer, whether that will be a good thing once I put plants down there I don’t know!
It is worth it to open up those views Jessica and you now have I guess plenty of firewood.
One thing we will never be needing is firewood.
I’ve certainly learnt since living in North Devon that light is at a premium. Good choice, although I agree it is always tough getting rid of a tree, whatever its name might be. Looking forward to seeing the greenhouse go up!
There’s a lot of work to do before the greenhouse, levelling and building retaining walls. The greenhouse will be the icing on the cake!
Wow, what a difference! Your garden really is beautiful.
Thanks Caroline. The garden is constantly throwing up surprises, like this one! It was so overgrown that parts of it have remained hidden for years.
Jessica, I love the transformation. We have had to cut down big trees as well and its so much better now… in fact, now we have the screen porch in a spot where there were three huge spruce only feet from the house. Can’t wait to watch all the wonderful transformations at your place.
It does make such an incredible difference to the light, I wish we’d done it years ago. It would have been a much easier job then too. I’m now waiting anxiously to see what happens when the leaves return and the canopy fills out again.
Trees…ah yes, they do grow, don’t they? 😉 20 years ago we welcomed any holly or hazel seedling, not realising this, so in recent years have have had some cutting down to do! As you say, the improvement is light is a revelation. Good to see the progeess of your revelation – such a difference!
There is one part of the garden where ash has seeded freely. The saplings were barely a couple of metres high when we moved in and as such I ignored them. Now of course they’re taking over. There will have to be some thinning although I would feel even more guilty about removing ash given the trouble it’s in.