Forum Topic

Tree Removals in H&F

There's a tread on the Chiswick site that says that Ealing Council  has decided to cut down 4,500 lime trees to save on maintenance and reduce the risk of being sued for causing damage to residents property. There has been some agressive pruning along Flanchford road recently. Hopefully the madness is not spreading to H&F.

John Kennedy ● 6862d19 Comments

There's one growing in our road - I don't know whether it fruits, but they are extremely slow-growing.  No-one seems to drink cocktails these days, but the dry martini (four fifths gin, one fifth dry white Martini for arid, not Noilly Prat) is a great drink, and the seducer's choice.  I also like the Navy drink - pink gin and oniomns.  The G&T is ubiquitous now.  Does anyone have their own favourite cocktail?

William Hosking ● 6845d

Olive trees sound a good idea.  Can harvest the fruits and pop the olive in our martini (shaken, not stirred).

Caroline MacMillan ● 6845d

Absolutely right, Susan.  It's one thing to plant a nice tree outside, but you only have to walk down any street in our borough where the trees are more than 20 to 30 years old and the roots are bursting the paving, to say nothing of draining the moisture from the buildings and inducing settlement.  The tendency now for warmer climate will make it worse, so what is the answer?  London has the finest parks of any capital - why not leave the trees to the open  spaces.  Maybe we ought to plant olives, oranges, and lemons.

William Hosking ● 6846d

Be very careful what you wish for.  The tree outside my house is differently ugly at different times of year and through the year keeps dropping different kinds of brown offerings of one kind or another which get under the feet and are trodden into the house where, if wet, they stain the carpet.  It is sucking all the water out of my front garden so that a bush now almost underneath the tree loses its leaves in one go in August.  It has grown to a height where it is depriving a rose and a hebe of so much light that their growth is plainly stunted.  It was only planted about 20 years ago and is not huge.  Hounslow council are so keen on it they planted another one further down the road this year.

Susan Lawrence ● 6846d

I understand they don't now plant Limes, Chestnuts or other large trees except in parks because of the potential liability for tree root subsidence.Will pass on these suggestions. Thanks to all...

Mark Loveday ● 6846d

Fine - but not limes, and in the right places - i.e. not overshadowing gardens to the total exclusion of any sun.

William Hosking ● 6846d

Fine - but not limes, and in the right places - i.e. not overshadowing gardens to the total exclusion of any sun.

William Hosking ● 6846d

OK - keep them coming. We want as many trees as possible!Mark

Mark Loveday ● 6846d

Mark.How about outside 34, 32 or 30 Wendell Road?  No lamps there.  Also the top bit of Rylett Road, the part between Wendell Road and Bassein Park Road is completely devoid of trees.  Again, no limes please!  Or Chestnuts (grow to big and such a problem at the moment with the leaf bug).

Caroline MacMillan ● 6846d

Do you think they could check out the bottom end of Yeldham Road which joins Biscay Road? I'm not sure why but there are no trees up this end.

Lena Hayes ● 6847d

Yes, John, but for those unfortunate enough to live under lime trees it will be not bad news.  The branches grow extremely quickly, break off in high winds, and the insects feeding on the florets exude a horrible sticky substance that covers cars and plants.  I am all for trees, but I am sure there are many who are irritated by overgrown ones that deny the small garden any sunshine, and can only be pruned with the Council's sanction, at their own cost - and annually.  It is a problem, though.

William Hosking ● 6847d

Thanks, Mark.  I will have a look at likely places in Wendell Road and come back to you.  It would be nice to have a nice spring flowering tree that end of the road.

Caroline MacMillan ● 6847d

Mixed news for all us tree lovers!The tree experts say the cherry tree in St James's Street was removed earlier this year because it was riddled with fungus. We have ordered a new one for the planting season this winter and temporarily tarmacced over the hole to stop Alex falling into it!We have no record of a tree at Wendell Road which fell in the storm in 1987. The officer says that isnow a street lamp at this location so we can't put in another tree - but is there anywhere else in the street where residents would like us to try to put one?Mark LovedayCabinet Member for Strategy

Mark Loveday ● 6848d

Some one who knows lots about trees.

Caroline MacMillan ● 6859d

Excuse my ignorance but what is an arboriculture expert?

Carol Burge ● 6859d

Thanks - any other bids for trees? I am passing these all on to the borough's arboriculture expert and hopefully we can put something in.

Mark Loveday ● 6859d

MarkWe lost a tree outside 40 Wendell Road in the great storm of '87.  It was a lime so would not want it back.  But a replacement something would be most welcome.

Caroline MacMillan ● 6859d

Can't say anything about the planning position with this property. Are you sure they needed/got planning permission? However, we are generally looking for opportunities to plant more trees where we can - not to remove them.The main obstacle is that there are just too many cables and pipes along the footpaths and there is not much room for tree roots. However, if you want to suggest somewhere for a new tree, just let me know and I will get the Council arboriculture people to look into it.Mark LovedayCabinet Member for Strategy, LBHF

Mark Loveday ● 6861d

Not sure what rules H&F play by when it comes to conservation.  Take a walk along Dalling Road, there is a house near the Thatched House pub that used to have beautiful conifer hedges all around the front, the council allowed the owners to rip them out and replace it with a 6ft high beige breeze block wall..........believe me if there was an award for the eyesore of the borough this would win it.

Carol Burge ● 6862d