We used to have a beautiful American Linden Tree in front of our house. That is, it was in front of our house until this morning and it was beautiful until last summer. Even though we watered it regularly last year, it suffered from drought and heat stress as was evident by the fact that it dropped its leaves late in the summer rather than after they had turned golden in the autumn as it had in previous years. That worried me. Then, to my relief, this spring it set leaf buds. Unfortunately, it set them just in time for the buds to get frozen when we had snow in early May. That was it for our Linden tree. Though it tried to come back, it was mostly dead. The city came and cut it down this morning, since it was on the city’s easement. Now part of the front yard will receive much more summer sun than it has in years. I shall have to observe this area in the coming weeks to determine whether any of the perennials need to be moved to a cooler location. I was sad to see the tree go. I had been pruning it for the past 13 years and really liked its shape.
The Linden tree last summer, lush with leaves …
Its leaf buds, killed off by cold temperatures in May …
The tree did manage to produce a few little shoots on the trunk after May’s freeze, but they were not going to be enough to allow it to thrive.
And so it went …
I’m not used to seeing our house without the tree in front. This will take a little getting used to. Luckily, there are still a lot of tall trees around.
Have a great day!
A Taste of Morning 
I always thought linden tress were pretty hardy. Did the late freeze kill many other trees? Chalk it up to “Global Weirding.”
To my surprise, I didn’t notice any other trees killed off by the late freeze … and we actually watered our trees during the drought last summer, so I am not sure why that particular tree was especially susceptible to the weather stresses. I think that it was about 20 years old, so it was well established and should have lived for many more years.
That’s really too bad…lindens are so beautiful. It’s true, as you say, though – the removal of the tree gives you a new canvas, so to speak.
So sad! It looked like a wonderful tree.
There is something special about trees that makes it sad when they go. Maybe it is that we know that under the right circumstances they can live for such a long time.
Climate change has impacted all of us on some level. I have lost plants that have endured much over the years. The last couple of years have been quite punishing in terms of the combination of drought, rain, hot summers, and freezes in winter that are unusual…any loss is sad.
Oh darn. I can imagine how you were watching that tree closely. I would too. Your B&B is gorgeous.
I was sorry to see that tree go. It was just getting to the point where it looked like a nice mature tree.
I always hate to see a tree die – such ashame. You have such beautiful landscaping!
Thank you, Bernice. Have a nice evening!
Really a shame – the shade of a tree is wonderfully cool. Know your interior will be much warmer.
Yes, I suppose it will be. The covered front porch does provide a bit of shade, though. I guess that tomorrow will be a good test. It is supposed to be 98 here.
It’s always sad to see a tree go but exciting to work with the newly available light.
Whenever I lose something in the garden, I try to think of it as an opportunity to be a little creative. I’m not yet sure what I am going to do with this spot, though.