A Tree Falls Down in New Jersey

Given that I haven't poste since last winter, I guess I only have time for this blog in the off-season.

Last year, the trauma of the garden was a 100+ year-old oak tree falling in the backyard. Our wonderful arborists from Savatree (http://www.savatree.com/) check our trees every year, and both of these trees were quite sound.

Then in the spring, after a heavy rainstorm, we heard a giant cracking sound in the backyard and actually saw the tree falling. This, as the arborist categorized it for insurance purposes, was truly an act of God. As if this wasn't bad enough, it had grown intertwined at the base to a 100+ year-old tulip tree. Removing a tree that has fallen down, assuming that it hasn't fallen down on your house, is a pretty minor job. However, removing a giant tulip tree with no other trees around it, is a major job that requires heavy machinery. The arborists did everything possible to avoid this, but it was unavoidable. The heavy machinery, to say the least, destroyed significant parts of the backyard and garden, not to mention the damage to the driveway. Speakng of insurance, the people at Chubb (http://www.chubb.com/) were wonderful about the whole affair.

The gardening challenge was multi-fold: the back corner of the garden which was formerly full-shade was now full-sun.

To be continued...