Weeping Flowering Apricot - Prunus mume

My friends Pip and Dave have this lovely Weeping Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume) growing out the front of their house. As far as I am concerned, it makes their house a real treasure. (Pip and Dave and their kids are pretty special too).

Weeping Prunus mume

As you can see this "weeping form" has branches which tend to grow out then hang down, under their own weight.

This is a recognised form of the plant, from Japan, and is of course, always grown as a grafted specimen, growing on an upright stem (known as a "standard").

Wikipedia has a nice photo of such a plant of this species, from Yumeji Art Museum, in Japan.

I knew such a plant in a garden I used look after in Canberra. There is another at the end of the Kingston Railway Station, on Wentworth Avenue, Kingston, ACT. I  would always visit that plant every year, as it was always the first of the "Spring Blossoms" to flower. In the depths of a Canberra winter, I always longed to see this plant blooming, so I could believe that Spring was coming. The thing is that the coldest days of the year are usually still ahead of us. But the plants are reacting to the length of day light, not the overnight temperature.

As with my favourite trees in Canberra, I love to "visit" this plant every mid-winter and watch it "wake up" and start to bloom. The first buds were just showing on the Winter Solstice. Now about three weeks into the returning Sun (lengthening days are the clue which plants pick up on), this plant is now fully in flower.  

Blossoms starting to cover the pendant branches
of this Weeping Flowering Apricot
(Prunus mume)

Numerous semi-double flowers crowd the branches
of this Weeping Flowering Apricot

A single (individual) flower of this lovely plant
Prunus mume

Many weeping tree forms occur naturally, and appeal to our aesthetic senses.
As a result, many forms of many different species of weeping trees have been brought into cultivation. Inevitably, this requires the particular "form" of plant to be cloned by nurserymen, and weeping plants are then usually grafted onto an upright stem. 

Sometimes these "naturally occurring weeping forms" (such as with many Australian Wattles) occur as prostrate forms (in the bush). In the absence of a suitable "standard", such plants can be planted to grow on the tops of stone walls and the stems cascade down the rock wall.
 

The theory of weeping trees is that the branches are unable to carry their own weight.

Prunus mume.
I like this image a lot.
(click on image to enlarge it)
It shows how the branches curve down.
The sky contrast is a bit overdone, but who cares?
It looks pretty on the screen.

Thanks to Pip for allowing me to photograph this stunning tree.

Hugh Waring - 16 July 1917 - 17 April 2010

I learnt today that Hugh Waring has died peacefully at his home in Canberra. There will be a graveside service in Robertson tomorrow.

Hugh and Adele (Del) Waring have lived at the end of the road to the Cemetery in Robertson for more than 50 years. They were famous for selling (growing) "Christmas Firs".

I first met Hugh in 1992 at a funeral for his good friend, and a mutual neighbour in Reid, ACT, the late Dr Wilf Crane. Hugh delivered a brief eulogy to Wilf, and supervised the planting of a tree in his honour, in Geerilong Gardens, Reid - in the park opposite where Wilf lived.

Shortly after I moved to Robertson I called in to visit Hugh and Del, who I had met, but hardly knew well. They were very hospitable and welcomed me warmly to Robertson.

Hugh then took it upon himself to encourage me to grow "interesting plants, especially trees". Hugh loved trees.

He showed me the huge timbers in the main room in their house, which he said modestly that he had grown and harvested to fulfill a promise he made to Del, that he would build her a proper house, (once the trees grew).
There towering above me, in the main room, was the evidence.
I love a Man with a Plan.
It may have taken nearly 45 years (at that stage) but he had completed his commitment to his lovely wife, Del.

Hugh had a particular fondness for Douglas-Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) the tree from which the timber known as Oregon is harvested. These trees were famously killed in their millions when Mt St Helens erupted in March 1980. They were the trees which looked like matchsticks strewn down the hillside in those famous photographs taken after the eruption.

Hugh had joined CSIRO, in Canberra, after the end of World War 2, and had become the Principal Research Scientist in the Division of Forest Research, at Yarralumla, ACT. Hugh had personally done much research on softwood trees suitable for growing in Australia.

In part, that was why he ended up living in Robertson, because Hugh was a great believer in soil chemistry influencing the outcome of attempts to grow trees, and he chose a south-east sloping hill, in a high rainfall area, with rich acidic soil as an ideal place to try to grow many of the northern hemisphere's most valuable timber trees, (including the Douglas-fir). The best place he could find which met those complex criteria was a little hill on the edge of Robertson, NSW. He and his brother, and their families jointly planted out their seedlings which now constitute a forest.

I look out over the Cemetery Hill, and Hugh's trees, every morning.


Incidentally, Hugh's trees created the backdrop to the main scenic shots in the movie "Babe", which was filmed on the adjacent property, Bell's Farm. But the movie would not have been made there without Hugh's trees creating a "non-typically Australian scene", for the producers of Babe did not want it to be identifiable as Australian scenery (there is scarcely a "Gum Tree" visible in the movie). They wanted an international "feeling" for the movie, and indeed Babe was an international success.

Hugh and Del featured in Andrew Ford's composition "Elegy in a country Graveyard", where they made several humorous contributions to the piece, including by referring to looking forward to being buried in their chosen plot, "next door". There must be something about living next door to a cemetery for 50 years which gives one a particular sense of humour when discussing death - certainly, in their case, there was a great sense of acceptance of death as part of life.

That, in essence, is what one would hope for in a man who devoted most of his life to the commercial growing of trees - and saw that they were harvested when ready.

*****

The Canberra Times has carried this fitting notice of the forthcoming Funeral Service:

HUGH DOUGLAS WARING 16 July 1917 16 April 2010 Late of Robertson (NSW) and Canberra.

Hugh was a very fine man, a philosopher, a scientist. A good brother, husband and father.He will be sadly missed by his extensive family and many friends. He lived each day as a bonus.

Friends and relatives of Hugh are invited to attend a Graveside Service to be held at the family property at 131 Missingham Parade, Robertson (next to Robertson Cemetery) on Friday, 23 April 2010, commencing at 11.30am.

In the Loving Care of G. Beavan Funerals 34 Station Street, Bowral 2576
Ph (02) 4861 2067.

*****

Post script.
The Service was huge, and very moving. People came from all over Australia, especially Canberra, where Hugh had spent most of his working life. I met up with some people I knew from my days in Reid.

Members of the family, and friends spoke lovingly of Hugh. Fond reminiscences, with just a few moments of sadness.

Everyone spoke about the importance of trees in Hugh's life. I am reminded that I ought have mentioned yesterday, the Chapter which Hugh wrote about the "Experiment" he conducted on a steep hillside at Robertson. This is included in a book called, appropriately, "Think Trees, Grow Trees".

Our farewell for Hugh was conducted within his beloved forest. A truly lovely spot, enjoyed by many on a lovely autumn day.

Farewell Hugh Waring.
You have inspired a great many people.

Fifty Years ago

On 25 September 1959 - fifty years ago, today - my family moved from Melbourne to Canberra. My father was 47 years and 3 months. I was aged 10 years and 10 months old.

Birdwood Street, South Oakleigh, Victoria

My father was reluctant to move from Melbourne, but it was forced upon him when the group of Defence Departments (including the Department of the Navy, where he worked) was relocated from Melbourne to Canberra.

2 Scott Street, Narrabundah, ACT
Shortly after they moved there in 1959. Probably 1960.

It was a truly transforming moment in my father's life, and for the rest of the family. My two eldest brothers who were already working chose to make the move with the family. My next brother and I were both still at school, so our move was pretty much "automatic".

My Mother decided, with Dad, to make the most of the new circumstances.
Neither of them allowed themselves to feel homesick for Melbourne, but accepted their new circumstances - new house, new school for the kids, new shops, and for Dad - the same job but in a new environment.

In truth, opportunities opened up for Dad as many people had found other jobs, and so there were promotional opportunities for him over the next few years.

He worked in the Naval Personnel Branch of the Navy Office. When the Melbourne cut the Voyager in half, it was my father who answered hundreds of distressing calls from relatives. The worst part was that the Navy did not have a fool-proof system of knowing exactly which sailors were on which ship, at an time. Hence the anxiety and distress for many people, not to mention the fact that quite literally, many sailors had a "wife" in every port. Part of his duty was to acknowledge that Sailor X was indeed missing, but that the caller was not the only person claiming to be his "wife".
.
That experience very nearly broke him - but he was one victim of that disaster who never complained.
.

In a happier mode, my father rapidly established a new garden, which he loved.

Taken in the late 1970s, probably.

And in the realm of bird watching, he quickly became recognised as a keen amateur, and recieved official; encouragement from senior CSIRO Wildlife Division people, who encouraged him to become a bird bander. I remember him saying that when we were in Melbourne, we were merely small fish in a big pool. In Canberra, in 1959, we were small fish in a very small pool. But he was recognised as showing great scientific attitude and rapidly became one of Australia's leading bird banders. He founded the Bird Banders Association of Australia. On behalf of the Bird Banders Association, he imported good quality nets from England, for other bird banders to use.

Possibly taken after the house was sold.
The car in the driveway is not theirs.

Dad then started to write articles for the Canberra Bird Notes, and other scientific journals. He was invited to write most of the section on "passerines" (small perching birds) and most of the Cuckoos, in the "Birds in the Australian High Country", edited by Dr. Harry Frith - who was Chief of the Division of Wildlife in CSIRO. Subsequently he was also invited to write some 40 entries in the 1st edition of the Readers Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds.
Finally Dad wrote his own book - Birds of the ACT: Two Centuries of change.

Meanwhile, my Mother established herself in Canberra's community, especially the local womens groups of her Church, and the Floral Art Guild of the ACT. She also worked for many years at CSIRO Division of Plant Industry, as a typist and clerical assistant. She really enjoyed mixing with the Plant Industry scientists and technical officers.

My brothers established themselves in Canberra, the two eldest brothers married there, and have lived there all their lives. One brother married and trained as an Engineer and moved around Australia for a number of years before eventually moving back to Canberra and now lives on the far South Coast of NSW. I married and settled in Canberra, travelled interstate and overseas and then moved back to Canberra, where my daughter, Zoe was born. I lived there until moving to Robertson some 7 years ago.

After my father had a minor seizure (a mini-stroke?) my parents decided to leave their first Canberra house, in Narrabundah, and moved to a house in Kambah. Dad started out again to build a new garden, with several specialist cactus garden beds. So much for him taking it easy! He also started propagating plants for his local Church school fete. They lived there for some 15 years (I think), until Mum's declining health required them to move to a Nursing Home, where she died in 2006.

As readers will be aware, my Dad died in Canberra two weeks ago.

All in all, today is a significant anniversary in my life and in the life of my family. A true turning point. And it is all due to the bravery of my parents, especially my father, who agreed to meet the challenge of a new job, in a new city, at the age of 47 years.

When he died, two weeks ago, he had lived longer in Canberra (49 years and 11 months) than he had in Victoria.

The move to Canberra was a significant challenge, which he met in remarkable fashion.

Some birds of the Botanic Gardens - in Canberra

Here are a few pictures of some of the birds which hang out at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra.

The White-winged Choughs of the Botanic Gardens are like the Silver Gulls and White Ibis of the Taronga Zoo in Sydney. They hang out around the public lawns around the restaurant, but they also live in the bush-like parts of the Gardens.

Chough family grooming themselves in the sun

This one was very busy walking (running) around.
Note the red eye, and the curved beak.
Ravens have white eyes and much heavier, straighter beaks.
This Chough was perched in a tree above the tables
and it was very busy preening itself.
You can see the white primary wing-feathers.
That is a feature or which they are named, but
which is not visible until they fly.
The other really obvious birds are these Wood Ducks.
The female looks tired, and when "junior" decided to go exploring
she sent Dad off to keep an eye on things.
The male bird was in fine plumage.
This shot makes it look as if my brother, Brendan has his foot on the head of the male bird.
Of course, he does not, but with the foreshortened image (of a zoom lens) it does look that way.
Here is the duckling (a single one, by the way, which means almost certainly, the local Ravens got the others in the clutch, when they were very much smaller.)
Very cute, but totally without fear - not a good attribute for a duckling!
When the Male Wood Duck decided that the little duckling
has strayed too close to Brendan it intervened.
It came between the duckling and Brendan.
It then hissed at him, with its neck stretched out.
Get the message?
Unmistakable, I would have thought.

Most unusually, throughout this little "charade", which we "set up" to see how close Brendan could get as a test (but a non-threatening one, I stress), the female Wood Duck did not move from her comfortable spot on the grass. That's why I say all this threatening body language was a charade, for it is normally the females who do the serious guarding of the ducklings. She knew junior was not in any danger, but Dad was on the baby-sitting roster - so he had to make it look good!