Sometimes we have to make tough decisions. After a lot of thought (and quite a lot of money spent), we finally came to the conclusion that our beloved Pohutukawa tree would have to go. Here’s what I’m talking about. This photo was taken several years ago when we were still trying to find a way to keep it, a 15 year project involving “lifting’ the foliage:
It usually burst into flower just before Christmas time, a glorious display attracting bees and many different birds,
What really clinched the decision was not its impact on our view, or the cost of maintaining it, but the hazard posed by the ever-present layer of slippery Pohutukawa leaves on the path below. So before I pay my respects with some of my favourite images, here’s what happened to it, on a cold grey morning last week:
As the work progressed, we gradually started to see what we’d been missing.
These arborists are really clever, planning their cuts so they have something to stand on (and something to tie onto, of course).
And finally:
A sad moment!
So here are some highlights from the last few years. Memories of the birds:
the way its flowers grew from quite small beginnings:
the colour added to our view:
and the carpet on our path in late January:
I made a time lapse video of the removal, which you can access here if you’re interested.
On the bright side, now we see a little more of Nelson Haven and the harbour entrance:
