This is one of Millfields’ two gardeners, Salvatore Aquilina, on his litter picking round. He’s standing next to a young field maple on south Millfields which I planted a few years ago with the Tree Musketeers. If you’re very observant you may have noticed that the guard on this tree changed a few weeks ago. That’s because the old guard fell off, leaving the trunk exposed to the whims of passing gnashers.
As this tree is close to my heart, I nipped out with some zip ties, temporarily lashed the guard back together, and texted Salvatore. An hour later I looked out my window to see Salvatore and our chargehand, Andy Day, just completing the installation of a new guard. I don’t think they needed my text — they must have already been on their way when I sent it.
I had a slight twinge about my lost zip ties — they don’t grow on trees (I generally harvest them from railings). But in other respects I was mightily pleased.
Salvatore was back in tree-salvaging action this week when this north Millfields tree fell over (was pushed?). When he took this photo he’d already got a plastic bag over the roots to stop them drying out. Shortly after that he had it back in the ground and most of us will never have noticed its mishap.
But I never got my zip ties back.