Corkscrews

Someone - presumably the council or a council contracted tree surgeon - has pruned the pair of corkscrew willows (possibly Salix babylonica var. pekinensis 'Tortuosa') on Clay Hill Green, on West Hill. A pair which was originally a threesome, with the middle one of the three being taken down at some point. Perhaps three were planted to allow for a bit of attrition, or perhaps the planter did not know how big they were going to get in this particular spot, quite close to a heritage brick wall facing south west.

Not trees that I would plant myself, not caring for the die-back and frost damage they seem to be prone to. I like my trees to be healthy and vigorous.

PS 1: amused how tree surgeons have been assimilated into the professional classes, either by use of the word 'surgeon' of by that of 'professional'. An assimilation which is good because it is democratic and levelling, bad because it is untruthful, with the old-fashioned distinction between trade, craft and profession being less so. There is also the point that many tree surgeons are actually resting rock climbers, hired for their heads for heights and skills with ropes, rather than for their knowledge of matters arboreal. Who knows where the best balance lies?

PS 2: to pursue the matter, 'profess' and its relatives rate three pages in OED. Originally all to do with publicly professing one's faith in the one true church. Later extended to doctors and lawyers, later still to professional soldiers. Later still to all kinds of occupations, but usually with a good dose of book-learning involved. The new to me Webster's covers much the same ground, but manages with just one column, albeit with rather smaller print.

Reference 1: Webster's Third New International Dictionary – Philip P. Gove and others – 1971.