Have you tried spotting tree seedlings in your garden? Wood pigeons and squirrels are a pain if you’re trying to grow brassicas and beans. But then again, pigeon poop (poop from other birds may be available) is a great producer of free tree seedlings.
Thanks to the pigeons and their friends gulping down tree berries, I’ve noticed a large number of tree seedlings growing haphazardly among the other plants in my garden – hazel, hawthorn, silver birch (seeds wafted in naturally on the wind), holly, yew, apple and cotoneaster. In fact, I still have from last year six cotoneasters, a laburnum, two apple seedlings, a laurel, hazel, and silver birch. Although cotoneasters are not indigenous, the blossom on the tree in my garden was full of bees and for twenty years the winter red berries have attracted small flocks of redwings and fieldfares.
This year’s crop of trees includes yew, hawthorn, silver birch and cotoneaster, all of which help to combat the scourge of our city – air pollution. Trees such as silver birch and yew, for example, are some of the most effective at capturing particulates.
Hazel is great for coppicing bean poles and pea sticks. As for hawthorn, not only do they provide effective hedging they are also great for wildlife. Hawthorn seedlings on the allotments are very common. Within Urban Nature, we try and mark them in some way, perhaps with a cane or coloured string or tape, and then lift them in the winter to fill in hedge gaps. As an incentive to seek out your own tree seedlings, next year is the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, 70 years as monarch. In the words of Prince Charles – “Planting a tree is a statement of hope and faith in the future. As we approach this most special year, I invite you all to join me to plant a tree for the jubilee – in other words, a tree-bilee!”. Happy tree harvesting!
