I am delighted to announce that the second edition of 'It's time for trees' has arrived. With over 150 new photos and featuring a further 24 varieties, it is available in both soft back and hard back versions. Reacting to feedback last time around I have added a tree index this time in both Latin & English...

Please look out for how to get your copy on our web site over the coming days.

All the best

Mike

Barcham comes to your home!

After much planning and development I am delighted to announce the start of our new web site www.buythetreeyousee.com

Private individuals are now able to purchase the actual tree they view online rather than order blind. We have taken video footage of hundreds of trees on a rotating turntable so you can see and order the trees from 360 degrees from the comfort of your own house!

Ordering trees on the internet can be a leap of faith but no more!!! Visit www.buythetreeyousee.com and take a look!

March is a great time to shape and prune evergreens as they are breaking dormancy and just about to initialize new flushes of foliage. If you take evergreens on the rise, they keep on going but if you manipulate them when fully dormant they can sulk and decline.

All the best

Mike

We have recently suffered a bad debt with the Groundwork oganisation that has offices throughout the country. This charity is set up with lots of limited liability companies all under the 'good' Groundwork brand and logo. Their funding is much reduced and they show little saddness in severing their least funded operations. I would suggest that if any of you deal with the Groundwork Organisation for you to seek cleared funds before your goods / services are transferred.

When trees are grown close together they develop a tubular trunk as they rely on each other for support. The trees on the outside of the group are always the strongest as they are subjected to more wind but the trees in the middle grow weakly and are quick to fall if the dynamic of the group changes. This is also true in nursery production where growers are keen to maximize their return by planting trees at close densities.

The gleaming white stemmed Birch, Betula utilis Jacquemontii , is an extremely popular and versatile tree that offers great contrast throughout the year either as a multi stemmed tree of single stemmed standard. However there is an alternative! The much lesser known Betula albosinensis Fascination is also a gleaming white by the time it reaches 16-18cm girth but it also has hints of pink and orange as you view the tree further up and its catkin display is second to none. Its ascending habit also gives the tree a pleasing formality making it a perfect garden tree.

Now Autumn is truly upon us I have noticed an alarming incidence of people getting stuck into their winter jobs in the garden. This generally involves getting out the hedge trimmer and marmalizing hedges and screening plants to shape!

Even though Fraxinus angustifolia Raywood has an autumn display to relish, it is not the answer for a long term bet. Unfortunately the branch angles and wood strength of this tree are so bad that it tears itself apart when it reaches maturity leaving all sorts of chaos in its wake. I have seen and heard of major limbs of Raywood damaging cars and fencelines when they fall from the tree even in still conditions when the weight of the limb becomes too much for the branch union to support.

It has been a tough season to establish trees. Many areas of the UK had very little rain from March through to June and some had a very sharp late frost in May that burnt off emerging leaves and shoots. Please don't forget your newly planted trees from last autumn and continue to water them until the end of October as this will greatly enhance their performance next spring.

Application forms have to be submitted soon for The Big Tree Plant so if you belong to a community group wanting to better the environment now's your chance! Please e mail us on info@barchamtrees.co.uk to request an information folder including application forms and criteria qualifying schemes.

The Government aren't giving away much at the moment but their Big Tree Plant campaign bucks this trend.....

All the best

Mike