Comments on: Trees, eh? Who’d have them.

By: Marcus Searman

Marcus Searman — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 08:58:43 +0000

“Nation of complainers..”

You bet – PL especially.

By: H.P. Baxxter

H.P. Baxxter — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 17:07:59 +0000

In reply to 'Angus Black. And to shake out the birds. Squashed Tweeties aren't a pleasant sight for your toddlers out on their Sunday buggy-ride, and then we'd have no end to press conferences from the Children's Commissioner.

By: George Mifsud

George Mifsud — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 12:30:35 +0000

In reply to John Schembri.

@Jozef

You left a very important issue out of your comment and that is diversity. Most of our endemic flora is not endemic at all but typically Mediterrenean…and some ‘endemic’ tree and shrub species take forever to grow. That is not saying that these shouldn’t be planted.

And by the way, the two ‘tree species’ you mentioned are not bushes at all but trees, with some of them being shrubs. A quick google search will reveal the difference.

By: repeatafterme

repeatafterme — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 20:35:35 +0000

In reply to el bandido guapo.

I was at the press conference. ‘Unobtrusive’ was the actual word the architect used.

Though to be perfectly honest I don’t see much wrong with it.

Trees, just like any other noun, can be unobtrusive.

Would have been fun if the article described them as ‘inconspicuous’.

By: Jozef

Jozef — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:39:14 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-qf7-66NMI

By: Jozef

Jozef — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:32:44 +0000

In reply to George Mifsud.

The Maltese can’t bear trees as manifest nature surpassing their existence. That’s reserved for Sunday afternoons and even then, what they term picnics are transformed into domestic spaces with all creature comforts, defeating the purpose.

Summer barbecues are even worse.

Call it a particular strain of anticlerical modernism averse to rurality. Nature, according to them, is old, unbearably nostalgic and a constant reminder of humble origins.

When adamant individuality, typical of islanders, restricts the urban space, the trees are the first to go. This contradiction in the sense of proportion and size requires the extension of mental space to create sustainable habitat.

Malta, given the population, cannot afford to ignore this any longer.

This doesn’t imply hanging old cart wheels all over the place.

By: 'Angus Black

'Angus Black — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:57:41 +0000

In reply to ciccio2011.

‘Umbrella’ trees would be just fine – remember to add an ‘up and down’ button.

By: John Schembri

John Schembri — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 07:29:49 +0000

Trees need space, and if anyone has a ficus tree in front of his house like the ones there are in Valletta by Saint John’s Cathedral then he would experience the lifting of tiles in his property, damage to his sewage system , leaking wells ,leaking swimming pools,constant dirt on the road, and dark and cold houses.
The Ficus Australianis trees which were planted in the 50’s are being uprooted and transplanted in open spaces where they will embellish big open spaces without creating damage to the surrounding areas.
There are ‘trees’ which create a lot of pollen like the Acacia(bush) and there are ‘trees’ which take all the nutrients from the surrounding soil surface like the Eucalyptus(bush).
These two types of fast growing bushes which I mentioned here are going to be obliterated from our islands in the near future.
In the meantime endemic trees are being planted, the planting of olive trees and vines has been given a boost since we joined the EU.
People who have a small garden would invariably have at least a lemon tree and an orange tree.
People become allergic to trees when they start suffering consequences of lack of light in their homes and damage to their buildings.We cannot afford the luxury of having a forty foot driveway people have in Australia or the US.
The planners who planted palm trees in Blue Grotto Avenue in Zurrieq seemed to have struck the right balance.

By: ta' sapienza

ta' sapienza — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:46:41 +0000

In reply to George Mifsud.

Yes I know the feeling,
The local council in Mellieha chopped down a dozen or so protected tamarisks to make way for…nothing, and are now attempting to chop down the beautiful ficus trees in front of the police station because of ‘the bird droppings’.
Sad.

By: Ghoxrin punt

Ghoxrin punt — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:24:25 +0000

Nation of complainers..no one ever wins and our island loses.