Tree Museum
Joni Mitchell’s lyric rolled through my mind..something about paving paradise with parking lots and creating tree museums….and here I was strolling in Boston’s Arnold Arboretum late afternoon in mid October. Struck by the shape of the trees, I realized how I see trees–shaped by suburban lots and streets. Crammed into the sidelines, pruned for power lines, and by trucks traveling beneath I see lots of trees but rarely in their individual form. The woodlands I wander grow trees in dense populations so unless one happens on a clearing with a lone tree you’re unlikely to see the kinds of shapes that startled my vision that afternoon.
Tree shaped by space --unencumbered by power line or truck pruning at the Arnold Arboretum
Sky shaped by tree
Tree museum exhibit extraordinaire
Of course, even in a tree museum nature shapes the trees and staff add their sculpting vision. But the trees are amazing.
What a lovely and thoughtful piece! And great shots to boot! Thanks so much for forwarding it on. The tree images remind of the ‘farm trees’ of my youth. In the Midwest the farmers leave a single tree in each field under which the stop each day to have lunch in the shade. They were always spectacular untouched maples, oaks, ash or the occasional elm. Perfect form.