Monty Don
Japanese Gardens: A Journey
In horticultural terms pines are well adapted to growing in the dominantly acidic, poor soil of Japan. It is said that the Pilgrim Fathers cut down the pine forests when they arrived in America, assuming that such tall and magnificent trees must be growing on rich soil, only to find that, once cleared, the ground was little more than sand and hopelessly unsuited to growing crops.
I haven’t found another source to corroborate the story but regardless it is a wonderful way of remembering that rich soil is not always the right soil.
And so for day 2988
15.02.2015