Off the A6 in Darley Dale, sits the West Lodge. When called out to quote, the owner's only directions were "go to the French looking house opposite the junction". It certainly is reminiscent of the vaulted, steep pitched roofs of French chateaus. I learnt that the West Lodge was once the western entrance to Stancliffe Hall, which sits half a mile up the hill. The grounds - originally a rock quarry typical of the area - were transformed by Sir Joseph Whitworth into what was at the time the finest rock garden in the country. So I was told by the property owner as we walked around. The trees that had been chosen for the entrance were of course specimen trees, of various origins and interest.
In a secluded corner, this prunus (above: species unidentifiable) of some years had adopted an awkward growing angle. Most trees and especially fruit trees have to sometimes find unusual angles to grow towards the light. This specimen had been suppressed by a large birch, several leylandii and a huge cedar and so had crept at 45 degree angle for most of its life. It had developed an amazingly characterful structure, one that the owner was very fond of.
It had sat overhanging the art studio, and a pathway, happily enough for perhaps 5 decades or more. But its overall size and recent winds had forced it too far, forming a severe crack in the left of the bifurcated trunk.
The outstretched canopy bearing limbs were now pressing down on the roof, dislodging tiles and threatening future damage as well as a risk to anyone nearby.
We discussed that all the canopy should be removed, but some of the angular-form of the trunks should remain. There was also signs that chicken of the woods (a delicious edible, easily identifiable fungus) had fruited from the trunk the previous year - all the more reason to retain it.
The angle of the boughs made a top anchor rope pretty much impossible, but with some acrobatics and ladders we were able to remove the tangle of leafing branches off the roof before lunch. As we cut the thicker wood away in chunks we exposed amazing grain of browns, reds, oranges, even purples.
A long afternoon followed, but we were able to complete the reduction and all the wood was sawed into splittable sized rounds or fire ready logs.
With the weight off the trunks they righted themselves somewhat and we shaped to leave a decent amount of them so as to become a living sculpture. Such was the desire of the owner, whose eye and appreciation of the higgledy beauty of this tree fed into how he wanted to preserve the presence of it, despite such a strong reduction.
What was the tree's future now?
To be appreciated in a new light - literally now the canopy was gone - as well as figuratively through the eyes of the garden's stewards and visitors.
To become host to edible fungi for years to come...hopefully to end up on the plate.
To senesce safely and gradually, opening up new niches for life in its cracks and decay.
Proof that with proper appreciation, dying or compromised trees can have a new life after death and remain part of our gardens.
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