Blackthorn Tree Planting

Tree planting is a complete riot - who knew?

In November, we had the most glamorous team day out with a morning mud swim and some planting - around 500 trees Actual tree planting pros are so efficient more like 2-3000 a day each and so strict, woe betide the person who puts in a wonky stripling. We learnt so much and the satisfaction of putting these wee things into the ground for the future was glorious and serenely magical - especially as it's the first time we haven't had to negotiate 6 inch spines when handling blackthorn!!

We can now confirm that as of yesterday, all 15,000 of these baby trees have been planted in 16acres of Scottish hillside.

We need to do this because the thorn bundles on the Tower will eventually get blocked up by the accumulation of calcium sulphate (gypsum or stone scatch to others) so one day those on the Tower will need replenishing. Nature seems to work in neat symbiosis here as it takes 7-10 years to grow them to the right size, but also conveniently around 7-10 years until they need to be replaced (don't worry, we have plans for the discarded ones) and thereafter it will be a never ending cycle, a little like painting the Forth Rail Bridge.