The Beginning Of My Love For Monkey Puzzle Trees

Ever since I was a small boy I have loved the Monkey Puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana). I can still remember how excited I was when my Mum & Dad bought home a tiny specimen to plant in our small back garden when I was still at junior school.

Aldbury Road - Alison, Grahame & Me With The Newly Planted Monkey Puzzle Tree

This tiny tree seemed to love its new home and grew into a very lovely example which always brought a smile to my face when I visited my parents as an adult. Sadly due to the utter stupidity of their neighbours who decided to put a 'swimming pool' in their garden, which to be fair was more like a giant paddling pool, unsurprisingly one night the 'pool' collapsed flooding my parents garden with chlorinated water that more or less killed my precious tree instantly.

Aldbury Road - Alison, Grahame & Me With The Newly Planted Monkey Puzzle Tree

However, my love of the Monkey Puzzle tree has never died and I still get as excited as 'little Dave' did every time I see one of these beautiful trees. I have therefore decided to start this blog as a record of all the Monkey Puzzle trees I've seen and all the trees I have been told or heard about but have yet to see.

I will be updating a Google Map as I go which can be viewed here - https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zJ2gPrp_B9TA.kozK0y-gebV8

Update (02nd March 2104) - another photo of my Monkey Puzzle tree taken in 1983.

My Monkey Puzzle Tree At Aldbury Road In 1983

Monkey Puzzle Trees Seen - 1        Monkey Puzzle Trees Yet To See - 0