Friday 15 July 2011

Trees

Posted by Tania Kindersley.

I am a politics geek, and a bit of a news junkie, but suddenly, as if someone has thrown a switch, I lose all interest in why Rebekah Brooks has suddenly resigned, what Elizabeth Murdoch really said about her (rumours are of some kind of swearing), what this means for James Murdoch, and whether Andy Coulson went to stay at Chequers or not.

It is a big story, and it’s a fascinating one, but on the fifth day it starts to feel like the media is eating its own tail. Every single journalistic tweet on Twitter now starts: BREAKING, or EXCLUSIVE. Perhaps too it is the effect of hyperbole. When Rupert Murdoch pulled his bid for BSkyB, George Monbiot wrote: This is our Berlin Wall moment. Which I think is quite rude to the people of East Berlin, who really knew oppression when they saw it.

I decide to plant trees instead, as an antidote. I find the most ravishing little copper beech, and another cotinus, because it seems now I am mad on cotinus. I love those flashes of deep claret against all the green.

Around me, the weather closes in, dark and ominous. The birds have all gone silent, as if holding their breath. A hard wind blows up out of the west. I start to mourn the lack of summer, but then I think: those black clouds will bring rain, to water in the new trees. And they will grow into mighty, majestic things, watching over the unchanging Scottish landscape long after this scandal is forgotten.

 

The lovely new beech:

15 July 1

15 July 1-1

And there was some more rather naughty new planting too. Of delphinums:

15 July 2

15 July 3

And nepeta:

15 July 4

And salvia, because it seems that I cannot get enough salvia:

15 July 6.ORF

And a little astilbe:

15 July 7

Look at the unwavering gaze of the Pigeon:

15 July 18

And the timeless serenity of the hill:

15 July 20

And now I am going to make some chicken soup.

9 comments:

  1. Isn't it rather a relief that journalists at the BBC are on strike. I don't do twitter, so have enjoyed all sorts of music, nature, etc, when the news would normally be on! The trees look wonderful, happy gardening. Jude x

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  2. Have you ever done a gardening book?
    (Not trying to load you up or anything...it just strikes me that with so many beautiful photos & your enthusiasm for plants & planting, well, heck, why not!?! Or simply a photo book of the hill in all seasons & weather?)
    Following you now from the brand new Google+ which is proving frustrating for a near non-techie to suss. (I came on board because I wanted to in on a new thing -- with 47 MILLION other people! X-p )
    XX Pat

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  4. Your new copper beech looks beautiful. I love beech trees. The park near where I live has a line of them on a ridge, and their smooth trunks are wrinkled in places - as if they've just shrugged and stuck like that.

    It rained here yesterday and my window leaked *sigh*. But now it's warm and bright, if not actually sunny, so I might go outside and see what needs to be done.

    Doesn't rain smell nice?

    (edit- did not realise that deleted comments also came up. This is why there should be an edit button. Or maybe I should just use the 'preview' button more...)

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  5. I'm usually a lurker, but feel I must tell you that a) I adore Pigeon and believe I knew her in a previous existance, and b) your blog contains two of the things most important to me (growing things and writing) I also appreciate skillful photography!

    Thank you.

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  6. It was all quite intriguing at first but like you I'm finding it all a bit much at the moment. Although I did see on Twitter earlier that Rebekah Brooks has been arrested so I'll probably watch the news later.

    I've never heard of astilbe but my word, it's really beautiful.

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  7. I absolutely agree with you about getting a bit bored with this phone hacking story. I know it's bad, very bad, and very serious, but have we not had enough reporting and speculation already? Just wheel the guilty bastards in and have done with it?

    Helena

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  8. Jude - Love the thought of enjoying music and nature in place of The News.

    Pat - do rather love the idea of immortalising the hill.

    Rebecca - so glad you love the beeches too.

    Two of Us - how lovely to get yr comment. Admiration of the Pigeon is the surest way to make me smile.

    Alex - so glad you like the astilbe. I used to think them a bit, well, fluffy, but now have fallen under their spell.

    Helena - really do rather agree. I like a good meaty story as much as the next woman, but there is a moment when one suffers hack overload.

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