THE plane is one of Europe’s most distinguished trees.

The visible evidence for this exists in some notable places; for example along the banks of Tuscany’s Arno river, in Kos town or perhaps most compellingly at Trsteno’s great medieval arboretum.

To understand plane trees better one needs to know something about planting, pleaching and pollarding.

Lack of such understanding can be problematic as a conversation recounted recently in a Worcestershire market town confirmed.

Drawing back her curtains one morning the lady of the house observed two council workmen.

What impressed her most was their application. Working down both sides of the road the one dug out large perfectly circular pits piling the sediment into equally perfectly-shaped heaps.

The other immediately refilled the pits and restored the surface to its original condition. Nine o’clock, 10 o’clock, 12 o’clock, they were both still hard at it.

Bewildered, she had to find out more.

“I can see you’re both working like beavers but could you explain what’s going on?”

“No problem, madam” came the reply. “There are usually three of us but Frank who

plants the trees is off sick.”

Everyone agreed this had been a really useful exercise which had completely removed the risk of anything growing.

Paul Whitehead

Little Comberton