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I got Lucky!

KiliKili Posts: 1,104
in The potting shed
My 25 year old Silver beech tree came down in the windy weather on Monday.
My luck was in that day. To the left ( out of sight) is my green house but the wind was prevailing in the direction you see the tree fallen. It went over real gently and just came to rest on my garage roof.

It had grown a bit to big for the garden now, one of three planted by the previous owner. The other two I cut down years ago as they got massive.
Got up there with a bow saw cut all the branches and its now lying on my lawn.

On the upside the 3 magpies that perch in there tormenting every smaller bird in sight wont be hanging around anymore.  :D

Anyone else have problems with the windy weather? It didn't seem that windy to me . The old tree had just come into leaf as well. Lovely specimen shame it came down.

C'est La Vie

'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.

George Bernard Shaw'

Posts

  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Golly, @Killi, you were indeed lucky that it missed both you and the greenhouse!
    I'm surprised a 25 yr old birch came down in the wind like that, as you say it wasn't that windy on Monday and we've had far worse weather than that this year. Are you in an area that had the very high rainfall earlier on? What was the root system like?
    We've got two 40 ft birch whoppers right outside the house which we think date back at least 50 years - I do hope they don't fall in our direction!
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • KiliKili Posts: 1,104
    edited April 2020
    Hi Lizzie, we had a heck of a lot of rain over the winter like most in the UK and the channel islands. No one was more surprised than me to see it come down. When I had to take the other two down years ago it took me a week to dig the stumps out with spade and grub axe  :'( .
    At least with this one the stump and root ball is literally sitting on the top of the ground just some hacking at any remaining roots to free it completely.

    Yours are a good age. Do you have a large garden? Mines not really suitable for Silver birch given the height they get to but, the previous owner planted them. They look great when there small of course.

    But they do look magnificent in the right setting I bet yours look great now there coming into leaf.

    'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.

    George Bernard Shaw'

  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Hi Killi, no, they are not ours, but planted (we think) on the verge outside our house by the developer when they built a road for a new development. The Council now have responsibility for them and won't cut them down. They are only 2-3 metres from our house and we get constant mess on our paths from the twiggy bits they shed, the catkins right now and the leaves of course in the autumn. I'm told silver birches can reach 60-70 ft! I agree with you, they are lovely trees when they are small but should be removed before they get to a dangerous height. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! 
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • KiliKili Posts: 1,104
    May the wind always blow away from your house Lizzie  :)

    'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.

    George Bernard Shaw'

  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    I thought you were going to say ‘you got lucky’ and copped off in the supermarket aisle, despite those masks and gloves. Love in the time of coronavirus  :D  Ahem, sorry, reset, yes you were very lucky indeed!
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • KiliKili Posts: 1,104
    Lol... Maybe 40 years ago Nollie.
    I'm too old and ugly now for any woman to take an interest in me. Hence I'm sticking with the misses the only woman that will have me  B).
    Mind you we did meet at a barn dance at the age of 15 not quite the supermarket aisle but,  you could say I got lucky then  :D

    'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.

    George Bernard Shaw'

  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    There's no answer to that!!
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
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