“Walling’s style was demonstrated with her magical method of placing silver birch trees in subtle harmony with one another, she took five potatoes from a bucket, threw them all in the same general direction and said “There!” It was no more haphazard than nature’s way.”
So we found an area at Uccello Lane that seemed perfect for the silver birch “forest. Firstly the area had to be cleared and the soil prepared. Trav’s Trees came and removed undergrowth and weed “trees”. Adam and his men from Three Colors Green prepared the soil and then Heather Allen decided on the plantings – sort of Edna Walling style! The Birch trees are now in their 7th year – they are not quite a forest yet but soon. The Italian Minature Pear Tree is more than 40 years old and is covered in moss and mould but produces pears each year to feed the birds and possums.
In winter when all you can see is the pale bark of the Birches we underplant with daffodils, granny’s bonnets, iris and hellebore. It is most spectacular when all the hellebores are out followed by different sorts of daffodils – then the bluebells and if we are really lucky iris’s everywhere!
Uccello Lane 