Number 11

As I sat in the back of the car the other weekend, on the way to help Nathalie prepare my Dad & Sandra's front garden for a new lawn, I was idly staring out the window at the suburban gardens whizzing by, when suddenly I was certain I saw a monkey Puzzle tree whizz by! Naturally I let out a cry of excitement, which gave both Nathalie & Sandra a bit of a shock. I was certain I'd seen a Monkey Puzzle tree and the morning's raking dirt flashed by as I planned my next move. By the time we'd finished gardening I'd made up my mind that the next time I visited I would get to see whether I'd been right or not.

On the way back to the station I realised that Sandra was taking an odd route that we'd never done before, I tentatively asked whether we might, just be, going to see the possible tree? Sandra's reply told me she understood my obsession and soon we were driving apprehensively along the road it should be on. All three of us in the car spotted the little tree at the same time and Sandra pulled over so I could jump out and take a picture. It was then I realised I could look like someone casing the joint and made a mental note to address this somehow.

The Monkey Puzzle tree is, as one can see in the picture, a rather odd looking one, I've personally not seen one this small that has no lower branches. On closer inspection of the photo it looks like the top may have been cut off and there is also what looks suspiciously like another tree to the right of it! So it looks like I will be returning to investigate further after all.

I understand why some people may not share my love of Monkey Puzzles and that what started off as a little exotic tree can grow over time into a bit of a monster but still it saddens me to think this tree may have been 'butchered' for the sake of getting some more daylight into their house.

A Funny Little Monkey Puzzle Or Maybe A Butchered Big Monkey Puzzle! (HA1)

Monkey Puzzle Trees Seen - 11       Monkey Puzzle Trees Yet To See - 4