The Trimming of the Ginkgo

It seemed to stay relatively warm (not warm, warm, but fall temperatures) late this year. The leaves didn't start turning until late november/ early december. The trees just really got down to losing their leaves in the last couple of weeks.

Though they were not remotely bald yet, it was ginkgo trimmin' time for the city. Many of the city roads are lined with ginkgo, which turn a bright yellow color in Fall. (they also drop rather stinky gingko nuts before the leaves go). Every winter, the city trims the limbs way back leaving a very sad looking row of nubbed off trees and a very stark feel for Winter. The ginkgo naturally recover in spring and shoot out a wide canopy of limbs once things start budding again.

Today, the city workers had the less than easy-looking job of trimming back the trees in spite of the full fluff of leaves covering them. There were mountains of limbs and yellow leaves in the street. You could see the branches of the untrimmed trees shaking around, but you couldn't see the worker up in the canopy cutting the branches. This is the first year I've seen them trim while the leaves were still relatively full.

Tomorrow is officially winter in my book.