Chestnut memories
Thank you for Danielle Pope's article about the replacement of the Vic High war memorial trees. My grandfather was with the British Army at Mons in 1914. I always think of him when I go past the massive horse chestnuts at Christ Church Cathedral. Canadian troops were at Mons when the war ended, one of them brought home a pocketful of conkers and planted them in the Cathedral precincts as a tribute to his comrades. They have flourished there ever since. While not strictly an indigenous species, perhaps Vic High would consider using some of the conkers produced by the Cathedral trees to help replace the ones they cut down. This need not be instead of the red maples already chosen, but in addition.
Chris Eve,
Victoria