Back in 2012 I managed to germinate four Monkey Puzzle nuts .
( So happy me ! Oh ! I can't tell you ..I was over the moon ! )
On the bathroom windowsill , in pots sealed in ziplock plastic bags .
At this stage , I had just opened the bags a little bit .
So there were five nuts to begin with . So exciting ! Four germinated and then one of those didn't make it . I was then very worried about the others.
BUT
The other three grew healthy and strong .
I decided to plant this one out yesterday .
After a great deal of thought as to where it should go and they need a lot of space . I decided to plant it in the top corner of the Vegetable garden .
If you follow up the tippy top of the baby Monkey Puzzle tree in my wheelbarrow , you can just see my spade in the far corner of the vegetable garden , marking where it would look best in fifty or sixty years time .
Here it will have plenty of space to grow into a magnificent specimen . Probably not in my lifetime ...but this is planting trees for future generations and for the planet .
In my opinion , the most beautiful tree on the planet .
Central and Southern Chile and Western Argentina , where it grows in Auraucaria forests and National Parks .
Sadly I read on Wikipedia ,that, as from 2013 it's conservation status was changed to Endangered by the IUCN , due to dwindling population caused by logging , forest fires and grazing .
This is so ,so sad ..... TREES ARE THE LUNGS OF MOTHER EARTH !
This is a tree that was around during the time of the Dinosaurs !
It is known as a living fossil tree . Fossilised Araucaria wood or lignite can be found , famously at Whitby ,where it is made into pieces of jewellery .
I hope that my tree will live a long life and delight generations to come .
I planted another of my Monkey Puzzle saplings down in the Ornamental garden and am still deciding where to plant the third one.
I,m hoping that I have one of each sex of these trees so that in the future there will be flowers , bees and nuts .
I knew that there was rain on the way , so I didn't have to worry about watering it in .
What I didn't realise and my husband told me after I had planted this little tree, was that another big named storm Gareth is on the way !
So I have pushed in some laurel branches and laid down the wheelbarrow in front to give it some shelter .
Well it was very windy last night ..... but only our garden seat was overturned and no real damage to worry about .
I was right about the rain !
Take care in this Storm Gareth where-ever you are !
