UKTC Archive

"thurmanconsult@xxxxxxxxxxx.com" 12/21/04 06:18pm >>>wrote;

Of course isolated quirky specimens, full of character are important but God
help the look of urban areas if that's all we end up with and have to rely
on.

<<< Why's that then ?>>>

We need green bulk with a good-age class distribution and that may involve
the slightly premature culling of some individuals or species - every year.

<<< again why,  the urban environment is hardly natural is it ?>>>    Drive 
between Esher and Hampton Court in Surrey to see a classic example of
initial dodgy tree selection (mainly Prunus Kanzan) that have all been half
dead for 20 years yet still have not been completely replaced.

Surely, Prunus Kanzan (1000's of which were planted in urban areas in the
50's, 60's and 70's) cannot be described as "special" or memorable in any
way whatsoever.

<<< Maybe what irks is that they were planted in their thousands by people who
dared to try something new and at that time didn't understand the
implications. Granted Kanzans are a bl**dy awful waste of space, blousy for
two weeks per year, and wreck hard surfaces, but had they not been planted in
their thousands then you may well have to reconsider whether they are "special
or memorable in any way whatsoever".  And God help us, the punters seem to
love them because in my experience they don't want "forest trees" next to
their house.  Whatever your subjectivity, too much of anything is a poison 
apparently.
Be inspired, be outrageous, be contentious, be creative, think outside your
comfort zone, just don't settle for bland mediocrity in the Urban landscape or
the population will lose whatever interest it has left. IMHO if you must 
insist on planting natives with a good age class
distribution, do it in the countryside. We need to pick our fights because we
have more or less lost the urban battle with the advent of PPG3 and the death
of common sense.

Merry Christmas one and all.
Ian..............

                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                           

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