The Tree of Summer

Athene’s tree of the Summer is the Common Lime, Tilia X Europaea

This tree is at its very best at the moment and in full flower

As Athene goes out late in the evenings to fish, she passes under the Lime’s  low curved branches to take in their heavenly sweet scent from the nectar of the flowers. These massive trees are the biggest deciduous tree in this country, growing up to 50 metres

They are commonly seen as statement trees parked individually in estate parkland or in parks or in long avenues – Not so common in mixed woodland

Athene’s Lime trees remind her of ballet dancers wearing classical tutus – their lower branches ending in an abrupt neatly mown line where the sheep have chewed off the bottom boughs in the field where they grow; above this neat line the foliage bellows out and upwards in a skittle shape

Their leaves are heart shaped – vibrant emerald green soft and flimsy. The bark is grey and smooth and the flowers are pale yellow hanging pendulously from the underside of the leaves in flattened clusters of 4-10 on a stalk. All sorts of insects are attracted by the abundant nectar, especially bees and you hear them in their hundreds buzzing busily away in these beautiful trees