Timber down

 I had taken a break from blogging and I am now back. Lots of things have taken place at the homestead.  One Saturday morning a few weeks ago, I was walking around the garden, it was around 06.30 am. I looked up at an old bearded fig tree (ficus citrifolia) that had died and noticed it was leaning more than it was the day before. I wandered over to the longan tree a few yards away to inspect the young fruit.  I glanced over at the tree and said to myself that the high winds expected later that day will surely bring the tree down. I  continued my stroll and decided to  to pick some snake gourd towards the back of the garden away from the tree.  

Suddenly I heard a horrific crash and I thought the flamboyant tree may have fallen onto my plants. I rushed to where I thought the noise came from, but the Flamboyant was still standing. I then looked towards where the dead tree stood and realized that it had finally fallen. What a colossal mess!

I hired some men to come and cut up the tree and take some of it away. The larger pieces they left behind.

 A week later I hired a Bobcat with a driver to clear up the area.

 I couldn't use the wood since it was a soft wood and will deteriorate very quickly.  Hopefully I will be able to use the compost later on.

 I have now planted some heliconias and a few fruit trees. The rainy season is not quite rainy but am happy whenever we get a shower or two.  Have a great weekend gardening!

the bearded fig tree

Barbados was discovered by the Portuguese around 1605. They named the island Los Barbados after the bearded fig tree found on the island. The tree is really a banyan with large aerial roots that resembles a mans beard. In the portuguese language the beard is barbado or barbaudo. These gigantic trees cover a very large area. Their aerial roots hang down towards the ground from trunk like forms. Eventually they meet the ground and the trunk- like form develops as an extended part of the tree. Barbados was later claimed and settled by the British in 1625.