PUTNEY — We want to let all Putney residents and other tree lovers know that on Thursday, June 23, we will bid farewell regrettably to the two staunch maple trees that have graced our library since it opened in 2004.
The trees, estimated to be about 100 to 150 years old, were part of the beloved Aiken Nursery, which occupied the area originally.
We want to reassure the public that his decision was not made lightly or without serious input from arborists.
For several years, the library and its arborist have been nurturing the trees in the hopes that we would reverse the damage done to the roots when the library and, later, the Yellow Barn buildings were built on the site.
The interventions weren't successful in reviving the trees, and both have deteriorated to the point where they could be hazardous to patrons and the buildings. Large limbs have fallen in recent storms.
All connected with the library are sad to lose these historic trees, which have shaded and nourished this spot in Putney for so very many years.
They have been a fundamental part of our landscape and one defined the entrance to the library; they also represented a connection to the historic nursery of Gov. George Aiken.
To honor their place in our history, we will try to salvage some of the trunk for an appropriate use connected to the library. And in the spring, we will redesign the garden and plant new trees in these spaces.