We have trees where I live. Lucky me. A small strip down the side of our apartments. Some of the trees formed a lovely green canopy over the driveway and made the place feel quite green and private. There was a sturdy old avocado tree that the lovely local possums had managed to kill, sadly, by eating every leaf and new green shoot on it. Still it was old with a very sturdy, safe trunk of about 1.5 metres diameter. As it no longer grew leaves about 7 years ago I planted some jasmine at the bottom of it, possums don't like jasmine. It had grown over the years to almost replace the canopy of leaves, providing shade to the dwellers in the first floor flat, which is handy in a town with 43 C days, and it provided a place for small birds to nest. And of course that divine smell and flush of white flowers. Divine.
Further along the drive are other trees which I 've worked hard to keep alive during the 7 year drought by bucketing grey water on to them. Good exercise for me. Happy green trees. There was, I admit, one dead gum tree that the birds liked a lot. Also killed by possum eating. It was good for spotting the few native birds that still hang around this part of the city.
Our Body Corporate, who manage our units, ran an OH and S survey and it was found that some of the foliage was an obstruction - a leaf could fall on someone's head, thus disfiguring them for life - we could then be sued, all of us, the owners. I reluctantly agreed to let them trim the foliage.
I awoke early one day during the week to the sound of half a dozen young men playing Texas Chainsaw Massacre on the trees. They didn't trim them, they ripped them apart. I protested enough to save a few spindly trunks. Too late I fear. What is it about boys and toys? Do you think they would be so destructive if we still were hunters and collectors? I think not.
I will plant more things. Meanwhile the garden strip looks about as appealing as Kabul in winter.
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