Chestnuts

Sweet chestnuts lie upon the ground
They've fallen from the tree,
As summer ends and autumn nears
There's nothing left for me.
Although the sky is blue and clear
The morning air feels cold,
As late September drifts away
soon leaves will turn to gold.
by Andrew Blakemore

A slightly dismal poem possibly - it's not late September and the skies certainly aren't blue and clear ....if only!

Did you know that the oldest chestnut tree is on the slopes of Mount Etna and that in 1780 it's trunk was 57.9m in circumference! It has now separated into multi trunks but they share the same root system.

If you wanted to plant one now it will take about 15 years for it to bear the nuts. One for the grandchildren then :)