Trees In The Neighbourhood

Trigger alert.  If you are in anyway affected by the sight of contorted branches, and full frontal views of trunks, you might want to watch reality TV instead.  

  I do a 3km walk most days around our neighborhood.  I thought I would write a post just on the interesting trees we have out on the west coast.  I'm not going to be able to name them I'm afraid.  

My overall impression, considering they cut down trees to grow the houses, the owners have done a decent job in trying to replace the disappeared trees with new ones,  and are looking after them. 

Trees that resemble dinosaurs 

An arbutus. Native only to the pacific north west. Only grows within 5km of salt water. Bark perpetually peels. 

A nice selection of trees. House used to be owned by the head gardener for the golf course across the street until he died.  Unfortunately the new owners have let the garden decline but the trees just keep growing. 

Fall colours on a creeper

Treebeard!  

A beatle haircut 

Exotic palm tree, remember we are a tropical island in the pacific after all.

Another warm climate tree

Stone is a common landscaping opportunity. This is a road edge that in most towns would normally go to weed. Someone has taken ownership of maintaining it. 

Look carefully. That's not grass. Every summer we have a 3 mouth drought with water restrictions. Artificial grass is a new landscaping idea in town. 

Here's an example of a road side that has gone to weeds. I believe this is the only spot in our neighbourhood like this. 

A vagrant holly bush that will be a tree if left unchecked. 

Decent landscaping 

These tall trees are very common in our neighbourhood. Maybe they were on special 20 years ago when the houses were new. Look odd, but distinctive. 

Another beatle cut 

A droopy tree that's been cut short. 

Nice specimen. 

Nautical look. 

Tree, as imagined by a dog. 

Landscaping, as imagined by the dogs owner

A beautiful BC dogwood, nicely pruned.   In full bloom, the pink flowers are gorgeous. 

Bonsai cedar 

More stone landscaping 

They went for the "stone river" another common theme in the neighbourhood 

A decent fir tree 

Trainee trees. 

A well manicured yew 

Beginnings of a tropical island garden, a  palm and a banana tree. 

Fall! 

A smoke tree.  When the wind blows the seeds fill the sky. 

What the land looked like before they planted houses. 

Japanese maples thrive out here.