Eucalyptus against the sky

I was struck this afternoon by the strangeness of eucalyptus trees. The collection in Kilmun Arboretum has been reduced by the gale at the beginning of the year, and I was glad to see that saplings are growing up alongside the fallen trees, but what amazed me was how rigid the mature trees seem, with their smooth bark that makes me think of grey skin, the vast, powerful arms of the branches, the seemingly shallow grasp they have on the hillside.

In fact, their survival on this hill is pretty amazing. And their leaves smell wonderful.