The Meaning Of Trees

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

Cypress

20150519

Fiona Stafford discusses the Leyland cypress or leylandii.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

Horse Chestnut

20150518

20170821 (R3)

Despite being a much loved tree, the Horse Chestnut actually symbolises being there for sentiment rather than purpose, it is actually a pretty useless tree. By all means enjoy the ornamental aspect of the trees but the timber from horse chestnut is not good quality - there is plenty of it as the tree can gain bulk and volume quickly, but the wood is soft, weak and perishes easily. Its so-called chestnuts are pretty useless too. The poisons in them make processing them for food too costly. But its as conkers that its nuts make it have important meaning for us, as play and togetherness. An incomer and an imposter - from the Balkans, the name stuck, due to the horseshoe shape scars left in its trunk when the leaves fall off. It was such a raging fashion after its UK arrival that Capability Brown planted 4800 in one estate in Wiltshire alone. No wonder it has remained everywhere in the UK since. Its conkers and majestic presence will always endear it to us and this was enough for Anne Frank, who also succumbed to its charms, writing about a horse chestnut tree in the centre of Amsterdam, thus also a symbol of hope, of escape and of one day, a return to normality.

A third series of these popular tree essays is again written and presented by experienced essayist, Fiona Stafford, Professor of Literature at Somerville College Oxford, explores the symbolism, importance, topicality and surprises of five more trees common in the UK. Across the series of essays, our ambiguous relationship with trees is explored. The three series have prompted an illustrated book of the essays planned for 2015.

Producer - Turan Ali

A Bona Broadcasting production for BBC Radio 3.

Professor Fiona Stafford discusses the horse chestnut tree.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

Cherry

20150520

20170822 (R3)

In many countries, cherries are there just to look pretty - a short party trick trotted out once a year which everyone loves and coos at, but then its got to be kept the rest of the year too. True, it has unrivalled spring blossoms, a truly stunning beauty, especially in large numbers. It has much-prized wood and fruit, both of which have a long British pedigree, yet man and global warming have removed 90 per cent of UK cherry trees since 1930. In other countries (Japan especially) it is a sacred tree as a flowering cherry, but the fruit has been monopolised by a few countries - Turkey and the USA especially. Apart from fruit, cherry trees are prized for their swirling, eye-ridden, colourful hardwood which is amongst the most prized for cabinetry and furniture making, and medicinally they can cure gout, fever and help us sleep.

Producer - Turan Ali

A Bona Broadcasting production for BBC Radio 3.

Fiona Stafford discusses the cherry tree, prized in many ways, but also in sharp decline.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

Holly

20150521

20170823 (R3)

People don't think of holly as a tree, but it is very much a tree. In fact, it is one of our oldest, most enduring trees. A major meaning of Holly is timelessness - it was around in its current form long before the dinosaurs, over 160 million years of endurance of what we see today. That is an unusual achievement and proves its meaning as perfect design. Unlike the majority of trees, Holly also symbolises the separation of the sexes, having both male and female trees. Holly also means food and capture - the berries for birds, and its bark is boiled to produce sticky bird lime which is painted onto tree barks to catch song birds for food in the many countries that did and still do eat them.

The meaning of its name is holy, long being associated with Christmas and for centuries known as the holy tree. It also meant safety from witches, holly trees growing out of the tops of hedges were reputed to stop witches running along the hedge tops.

Holly wood is slow growing and so is very hard. It's whiteness gives good staining properties, so it was coloured black and passed off as much more valuable ebony. The wood of the holly became a global name thanks to its Californian suburb and a mistake.

Producer - Turan Ali

A Bona Broadcasting production for BBC Radio 3.

Fiona Stafford on the holly tree, which reaches huge proportions if not pruned annually.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

Birch

20150522

20170829 (R3)

The immediate meaning of Birch to British ears is punishment. Frequently in archaeological finds of Neolithic and later peoples, Birch is present as weapons, canoes, spears, bowls, rope, carts, furniture and most importantly its bark and root funguses as antiseptics and wound dressings. She is known as the 'watchful tree' for the lenticels on her oily, almost indestructible bark have been interpreted as eyes' - overlooking everything happening in the forest. But Birch really is a sentinel, when spring comes, the birch is one of the first trees to come into leaf. The silver birch is a symbol of beauty, much prized in literature, poetry and photography. Birch sap can be drunk neat, or used to brew wine, beer or vinegar. Birch wine is said to prevent gall/kidney stones, a remedy for rheumatic diseases, a cleansing mouthwash, and an acne remedy.

This third series of these popular tree essays is again written and presented by experienced essayist Fiona Stafford, Professor of Literature at Somerville College Oxford, and explores the symbolism, importance, topicality and surprises of five more trees common in the UK.

Producer - Turan Ali

A Bona Broadcasting production for BBC Radio 3.

Birch trees provide punishment, beauty, versatility and wine, but are very short-lived.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
02	Cypress	20150519		Fiona Stafford discusses the Leyland cypress or leylandii. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
11	Horse Chestnut	20150518	20170821 (R3)	Despite being a much loved tree, the Horse Chestnut actually symbolises being there for sentiment rather than purpose, it is actually a pretty useless tree. By all means enjoy the ornamental aspect of the trees but the timber from horse chestnut is not good quality - there is plenty of it as the tree can gain bulk and volume quickly, but the wood is soft, weak and perishes easily. Its so-called chestnuts are pretty useless too. The poisons in them make processing them for food too costly. But its as conkers that its nuts make it have important meaning for us, as play and togetherness. An incomer and an imposter - from the Balkans, the name stuck, due to the horseshoe shape scars left in its trunk when the leaves fall off. It was such a raging fashion after its UK arrival that Capability Brown planted 4800 in one estate in Wiltshire alone. No wonder it has remained everywhere in the UK since. Its conkers and majestic presence will always endear it to us and this was enough for Anne Frank, who also succumbed to its charms, writing about a horse chestnut tree in the centre of Amsterdam, thus also a symbol of hope, of escape and of one day, a return to normality. A third series of these popular tree essays is again written and presented by experienced essayist, Fiona Stafford, Professor of Literature at Somerville College Oxford, explores the symbolism, importance, topicality and surprises of five more trees common in the UK. Across the series of essays, our ambiguous relationship with trees is explored. The three series have prompted an illustrated book of the essays planned for 2015. Producer - Turan Ali A Bona Broadcasting production for BBC Radio 3. Professor Fiona Stafford discusses the horse chestnut tree. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
12	Cherry	20150520	20170822 (R3)	In many countries, cherries are there just to look pretty - a short party trick trotted out once a year which everyone loves and coos at, but then its got to be kept the rest of the year too. True, it has unrivalled spring blossoms, a truly stunning beauty, especially in large numbers. It has much-prized wood and fruit, both of which have a long British pedigree, yet man and global warming have removed 90 per cent of UK cherry trees since 1930. In other countries (Japan especially) it is a sacred tree as a flowering cherry, but the fruit has been monopolised by a few countries - Turkey and the USA especially. Apart from fruit, cherry trees are prized for their swirling, eye-ridden, colourful hardwood which is amongst the most prized for cabinetry and furniture making, and medicinally they can cure gout, fever and help us sleep. Producer - Turan Ali A Bona Broadcasting production for BBC Radio 3. Fiona Stafford discusses the cherry tree, prized in many ways, but also in sharp decline. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
13	Holly	20150521	20170823 (R3)	People don't think of holly as a tree, but it is very much a tree. In fact, it is one of our oldest, most enduring trees. A major meaning of Holly is timelessness - it was around in its current form long before the dinosaurs, over 160 million years of endurance of what we see today. That is an unusual achievement and proves its meaning as perfect design. Unlike the majority of trees, Holly also symbolises the separation of the sexes, having both male and female trees. Holly also means food and capture - the berries for birds, and its bark is boiled to produce sticky bird lime which is painted onto tree barks to catch song birds for food in the many countries that did and still do eat them. The meaning of its name is holy, long being associated with Christmas and for centuries known as the holy tree. It also meant safety from witches, holly trees growing out of the tops of hedges were reputed to stop witches running along the hedge tops. Holly wood is slow growing and so is very hard. It's whiteness gives good staining properties, so it was coloured black and passed off as much more valuable ebony. The wood of the holly became a global name thanks to its Californian suburb and a mistake. A third series of these popular tree essays is again written and presented by experienced essayist, Fiona Stafford, Professor of Literature at Somerville College Oxford, explores the symbolism, importance, topicality and surprises of five more trees common in the UK. Across the series of essays, our ambiguous relationship with trees is explored. The three series have prompted an illustrated book of the essays planned for 2015. Producer - Turan Ali A Bona Broadcasting production for BBC Radio 3. Fiona Stafford on the holly tree, which reaches huge proportions if not pruned annually. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
14	Birch	20150522	20170829 (R3)	The immediate meaning of Birch to British ears is punishment. Frequently in archaeological finds of Neolithic and later peoples, Birch is present as weapons, canoes, spears, bowls, rope, carts, furniture and most importantly its bark and root funguses as antiseptics and wound dressings. She is known as the 'watchful tree' for the lenticels on her oily, almost indestructible bark have been interpreted as eyes' - overlooking everything happening in the forest. But Birch really is a sentinel, when spring comes, the birch is one of the first trees to come into leaf. The silver birch is a symbol of beauty, much prized in literature, poetry and photography. Birch sap can be drunk neat, or used to brew wine, beer or vinegar. Birch wine is said to prevent gall/kidney stones, a remedy for rheumatic diseases, a cleansing mouthwash, and an acne remedy. This third series of these popular tree essays is again written and presented by experienced essayist Fiona Stafford, Professor of Literature at Somerville College Oxford, and explores the symbolism, importance, topicality and surprises of five more trees common in the UK. Producer - Turan Ali A Bona Broadcasting production for BBC Radio 3. Birch trees provide punishment, beauty, versatility and wine, but are very short-lived. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.