General Chat

Whats the timber like on the diseased horse chesnuts, anyone know? Thinking, OH is always after turning timber. He tries to make a pretty piece for anyone who gives him wood, and has not run out in a long time. It keeps him happy and out of the kitchen!

It is sad isn't it Daff :((( Im going to have a closer look at those trees tomorrow and if they are ill Im going to Blame Columbia Rd flower market.. lol

We've got a smallish back garden but one of the children who lived in the house about 30 years ago planted 5 conkers in a row!
We removed all but one of the trees and we keep the last one well pruned so it doesn't take over. My husband built our girls a tree house/platform which they loved and visiting kids still enjoy.

Conkers are such a lovely rich colour when they are fresh. There are two very large trees near our house and always lots of conkers. Oddly the trees must be slightly different varieties because one of them always has leaves and flowers about 3 weeks earlier than the other one.

This is interesting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conkers

Sue
x

Thanks Sue....will read that later. :)))


Have a good day x

I love conkers. There's something very tactile about them and I have one in my coat pocket, collected when I was passing some trees a couple of days ago, - I can't resist picking up at least one.
I noticed that they seemed smaller, but I wasn't really looking for them. - they were just on the ground. What a change from a few years ago, when all of them would have been collected by now,by young children.
I love to see the trees in bloom with their big 'candles' of flowers. The sweet chestnut flowers are more pink / red I believe. As children we used to go chestnutting and collected sweet chestnuts to bring home to eat. I prefer them uncooked, but some were always cooked on our open coal fire.

Gwyn

My son still goes conkering with Grandma at the ripe old age of 13! The trees round our way have for the last two years had their leaves turn brown very early on, but luckily the conkers have still come.
I think there are two problems with the trees. Their is the virus that was talked about on page one and also another disorder that while not killing the trees does make them look very ill.

Gwyn

I know just what you mean about them being 'tactile' - i'm the same - there's just something about that shiney gorgeous brown isn't there??

It's a real shame - I've watched the H/C trees round my way look a bit worse for wear each year :O(

I just hope we're not going to end up like we did with Dutch Elm Disease.