Quote Originally Posted by catherine View Post
My neighbor owns a couple of acres that line the street coming into our community. Maple trees line the road.

Well, right now, I see (and hear) that there is either VERY HEAVY PRUNING going on, or he is cutting down these trees. I don't know why.. the leaves get tar spot every fall, but that's not a serious tree disease. It's stressing me out. He doesn't have any other trees on his property except for a few dwarf apple trees. Not sure what his rationale is. He may be trying to remove shade from his raised beds. That's reasonable enough, but why not just move his raised beds? He has a yard that looks like a standard golf fairway. Yes. His land, his trees, but I'll miss those trees when I go for walks. I don't understand arborphobia at all. (enlighten me, IL
well you asked.

First and foremost in my world, trees are The Enemy of iris and lilies. For that matter they are The
Enemy of 90% of what we wish to grow. Think of trees as the biggest bully on the block, a 20’ monster that sucks up all of the light and water and nutrients leaving little for innocent bitty perennials and shrubs 1/10 the size of trees. Giant assed bullies they are. Since 10% of what we wish to grow are actual trees (well behaved, controlled fruit trees) they are not all bad in our yard.

And then, they are mean to old houses. They malevolently drop limbs on old houses and even sometimes do kamikaze moves, uprooting their entire trunk, to smash a house. They plant themselves in rooflines and eaves of old houses and their roots and tendrils weaken mortar causing eventual failure of brick structures.

They provide a vector for their partners in crime, squirrels. Squirrels carry out further damage to gardens and old houses. The team of trees and squirrels can be a threat to civilized society.

Once in a while trees even kill humans. Many years ago one murdered a child in one of our city parks. I can guarantee you that now, when we call in a dangerous tree situation, City Forestry Dept. speeds right out to asses it.

Arborphobia, haha! But you know there is more than a grain of truth in my words! I think it is important to represent the “other side” since “trees are good” is pretty much unquestionably accepted by Americans. Just think critically about those trees you [the generic you] claim to love; consider carefully when you plant one what happens when it grows to 20’+ tall.