Honey Locust Tree

Autumn is making itself felt in our garden. Our copper beech tree has been dropping nuts onto the lawn and driveway for some weeks. I have never seen such a crop of beech nuts as we have had this year. We are constantly raking them up and then putting them onto the trailer to go to the green waste centre. There seem to be more and more every day.
There has been some publicity about the enormous crop of beech mast this year both on domestic trees and the many types of beech trees in our native forests. Our conservation organisations are concerned that the huge crops will give rise to an uncontrollable influx of pest animals. If this happens then our native birds and other native species will be under great threat.
Meanwhile back in our garden we continue to rake up the nuts/mast.
One of my favourite trees in the garden is the “Honey Locust’ (Gleditsia). It towers right beside the house and gives valuable filtered shade in the summer. When it is leafless in the winter it allows the winter sun into my office behind it. I love it, it is a beautiful tree but at this time of the year it is starting to lose its leaves and is becoming extremely messy. Sigh….but I daresay I can live with it!