Finally I did the catalogue of the gifts from the Tree Council: not 1,000 but 3,500 whips. Yikes. I began the first planting myself. Ground soft and I easily did 2 bunches of hawthorn, a modest 40! Then Gos and I worked together one Tuesday and we managed 160 – far better working with another.
Then, through Theo, I met Bex, who heard the call and came to the rescue with her voluntary force. They (we) planted 250 this day. What a great team and an enjoyable time. We planted the second row of hawthorn to make the hawthorn tunnel.
Crataegus monogyna. Hawthorn is a pagan symbol of fertility and has ancient associations with May Day. The Bride of the hedgerow. In Celtic mythology it is one of the most sacred trees and symbolises love and protection. It is also known as the Fairy Tree, as fairies live under the Hawthorn as its guardians, and so was treated with great respect and care. Its blossoming marks the point at which spring turns into summer
First planting
Second planting with Gos, 160
Third planting with the great energy of Bex. Peter arrived early, and was a good addition to the team – Bex recognised the band logo on his T Shirt, which went down well. Hawthorn is one of her favorite trees. Some of the kids from Forest School joined us for a while, putting on the plastic sleeves, or playing with the dogs.
We enjoyed chai and light food in the cabin afterwards
Kaliwood 