The Monkey Puzzle Tree Nut

Tuesday, 30 April 2019

Camarthen Update

In an earlier post I recounted how in Camarthen there were two Monkey Puzzles that had been disgracefully 'beheaded'. Having a bit of spare time I managed to track down a photo on Google Street View of the two before they were sadly mutilated.

Carmarthen 2

Carmarthen 3

Carmarthen 2 & 3

Monkey Puzzle Trees Seen - 562

A Good Morning Spotting

With an improvement in the weather just before Easter I took the opportunity to check out 3 local trees I had somehow missed that I'd been tipped off about. The first three were trees which my brother and Nathalie had told me about. How I had missed the two in North Finchley is beyond me as I had got off a bus near them on numerous occasions, the Kenwood House one is in a spot I've never actually been when there. Whilst travelling between them I 'discovered' the magnificent one in Sheldon Avenue, the fourth in Highgate was one I'd seen before but hadn't actually recorded. Finally I stumbled across the Arnos Grove tree when on my way to pick up an online purchase.

High Road - North Finchley

Sheldon Avenue - Highgate

Kenwood House

Southwood Avenue - Highgate

Betstyle Road - Arnos Grove

Monkey Puzzle Trees Seen - 562

Monday, 25 February 2019

A Few Missed Trees

I've included 4 Monkey Puzzle trees here which for various reasons I didn't get to post about when I first saw them. The funniest one has to be the one in Kentish Town that happens to be just 2 doors down from my dentist's surgery that I somehow kept failing to see when passing by!

I'm also pleased to say that I have managed to completely update the 'Map Of The Quest So Far' and will continue to do so in future. I have also started work again on the sister blog that catalogue's the trees I've seen!

Watton At Stone

The Cut Waterloo

Weymouth

Kentish Town Road

Monkey Puzzle Trees Seen - 556

Friday, 22 February 2019

Gloucestershire 2017

Travelling back from Wales to break up the journey and have a look around the area me & Nat stopped off in Lydney, Gloucestershire. It's a really beautiful part of the country and also a productive Monkey Puzzle area with 6 different trees being seen. Though Nathalie's highlight were the sheep that were roaming free around the villages with no care in the World!

Cannop 1

Edge End 1

Ruardean Hill 1

Bream 1

Mitcheldean 1

Carefree Sheep

Monkey Puzzle Trees Seen - 552

Thursday, 21 February 2019

Wales 2017

Our trip to Wales covered mostly Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire where I managed to spot 13 more Monkey Puzzle trees. Sadly two of the trees had had their tops chopped off, I can only assume in order to allow more light to get to the upper floors of the house they were planted in front of. This is what often happens when people don't realise that the small spiky Monkey Puzzle tree they are planting will one day grow up to be a beautiful giant.

The spotting was my favourite kind, basically looking out for Monkey Puzzle trees when driving. The rush of seeing one, stopping, reversing if necessary and then capturing with a photo is probably the most random fun a nut like me can get.

Chepstow 1

Boncath 1a

Boncath 1b

Sarnau 1

Trelech 1

Carmarthen 1a

Carmarthen 1b

Blaen-y-coed 1

Carmarthen 2

Carmarthen 3

Crymych 1a

Crymych 1b

Mathry 1

Saron 1a

Saron 1b

Newcastle Emlyn 1a

Newcastle Emlyn 1b

Pentrecagal 1

Monkey Puzzle Trees Seen - 546

Wednesday, 20 February 2019

National Botanical Garden Of Wales 2017

So 2017 saw us travelling to Pembrokeshire in Wales and a short stopover in Gloucester for our annual holiday. Whilst there we visited the National Botanical Garden Of Wales where I knew there was a field of Monkey Puzzle trees to be seen. The Gardens decided to take part in the Transglobal tree planting conservation project as part of the celebrations of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. 100 trees were planted but sadly only 60 have survived, still a real treat to visit for any Monkey Puzzle fan and enough to take me past the 500 trees seen milestone!