Pruning my damsons - a deep cut is the hardest

There can’t be many more distressing acts than cutting down a living tree. Our Celtic ancestors saw strong symbolism in trees, based on their uses and observation.

Indeed, in the Ogham — the alphabet used by Druids for divination, among other things — the name of each letter is represented by a tree. Some feeling of this ancient mystery still lingers. As I say, to cut down a living tree feels criminal.

So I wasn’t feeling too good yesterday when most of the afternoon was spent slicing off large parts of the damsons at the bottom of the garden, not because they’re dead or diseased, but because they’re standing in the way of my soon-to-arrive garden office.