<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/sycamoreapr18.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4958" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/sycamoreapr18-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>The trees around the house are a beautiful setting and were part of the reason we chose the site however they do come with some drawbacks. There are the leaves in the autumn which fall in barrow loads and then it must be remembered they are over 50 years old therefore require managing. As previously posted both sycamores have a fungal disease and need to be removed.

Initially it was just one tree but the tree officer on her inspection visit suggested that it wasn't worth trying to save the other sycamore so I've now applied for planning consent to remove them both. It does mean bringing heavy machinery across the lawns from the <a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/sycamore-fungal-diseaseapr.jpg"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-4957" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/sycamore-fungal-diseaseapr-150x200.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="200" /></a>the front of the house but they have assured me they will use protective boards. When the work starts, probably some time in late May, I will be posting a full blow-by-blow account of how these two monsters are removed without them falling on the neighbours houses.

I now have to make a decision as to what to replace them with. When trees have tree preservation orders and are removed they need to be replaced. At the moment I'm thinking of <a href="https://www.ornamental-trees.co.uk/carpinus-betulus-fastigiata-tree-p54/s12959?utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_term=carpinus-betulus-apos-fastigiata-apos-tree-form-pruned-amp-shaped-tree-supplie-form-pruned-shaped-tree-supplied-size-150-200cm-root-type-10l-pot-cafa10l150-200&amp;utm_campaign=froogle&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwzoDXBRBbEiwAGZRIeDxtlbTKZONzczKUMoSn6D-XeRdibwqmL7TNkYLVUd-mIPH9mNlXXBoCT-MQAvD_BwE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hornbeam</a> and possibly a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populus_tremula" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aspen</a>. Sourcing trees of a significant size is quite difficult and expensive.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/rhodendronapr18.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-4959" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/rhodendronapr18-150x200.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="200" /></a>Elsewhere in the garden one of the rhododendrons is doing really well. I thought rhododendrons were supposed to grow well under trees however mine have struggled and I've had to dig one up, put into a pot, nurture it for over eighteen months and it still struggles with leaf growth and flowering.

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