We lived in Poole, in the south of England for thirty years. When we first moved in the trees were small enough for Sam and Maddie to help prune them.

After a few years of pruning they grew upwards and outwards, and we were proud of them.

Every summer gardeners would knock on our door asking if they could cut down our tree for us. Jacques would get really annoyed.

No one else had a tree in their front garden. It seems that for some people a fear of the wild forests and shadows overtakes them when they see a tree in an urban street.

Unfortunately when we left Poole to live in Scotland; we were told by the Estate Agents that if we wanted to sell the house, or rent it out we would have to cut the trees down.

Jacques cut it down gradually with an aching heart. We have never visited that street again.