Last summer was hot and dry which were not ideal conditions for a young wood. As the wood establishes itself, the combination of self shading and deeper roots protect it from environmental fluctuations. However, for young trees, particularly those planted on underlying bedrock, it takes time to establish a strong root system and dry conditions take their toll. A survey last winter suggested that we had lost up to 10% of the trees, mostly on the rocky outcrop just below the house.
We decided to stick with a more limited selection of trees, based on those which seemed to have fared best. After some thought, we ordered 100 Common Alder (Alnus Glutinosa) and 100 Goat Willow (Salix Caprea) whips which arrived just before half term.