D4

Bill Robb
The gardener

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"Every flower about a house certifies to the refinement of somebody. Every vine climbing and blossoming tells of love and joy." -- Robert G. Ingersoll (1833-1899)

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The black locust is one of the most aromatic trees ever to grace a front lawn.

When I walk about different neighbourhoods and see people's gardens, whether they are elaborate, professionally done affairs or simple beds of posies planted with love by the busy homeowner, I am charmed at the expression of beauty created. It's true that many people garden for their own enjoyment, but there's just as many others who put attractive trees and flowers on their property for the enjoyment of passers-by and those are the souls who really must be appreciated.

On my travels this week I was attracted to an unusual tree, first by its exquisite fragrance and, second, by its draping blossoms and lovely form. It was on the front lawn of a hairstyling shop/residence on Buckingham Avenue in Riverview and I had to photograph it and bring it home to discern what it was.

Behold the black locust, certainly one of the most aromatic trees ever to grace a front lawn anywhere. The little sign on the house at 242 Buckingham says "A Cut Above" and that pretty much says it all when it comes to their gardening.

Like all wild and beautiful things, there's a dark side to this tree, of course, and that is its propensity to spread almost to the point of being invasive. But properly cared for like this one, it is worth the effort and an absolute delight in any neighbourhood.

The tree grows quickly and can reach 40-100 feet at maturity. The bark on the young tree is smooth and green, but, as the tree ages, the bark grows dark brown and deeply furrowed with flat-topped ridges.

The leaves alternate along stems and are made up of seven to 21 leaf segments called leaflets. They are dark green on top, and pale underneath.

But it is the flowers, now in bloom, that are the real showstopper. They cover the tree in drooping clusters for several weeks. Bees love them and they are one of the top plants for pollinating bees, so watch yourself before you nose in for a good whiff of the delightful fragrance.

Black locust has an unusual effect on soil; it fixes up the nitrogen content in it. That is why you will sometimes see crops of black locust planted on top of reclaimed mines.

It reproduces quickly if you don't keep a close eye on it, by root suckering and stump sprouting to form groves (or clones) of trees interconnected by a common fibrous root system. Interestingly enough, although the tree produces many seeds, these seldom germinate.

The tree, which grows so beautifully in Albert County, is actually native to the Southern Appalachians and the Southeastern United States. It is more often found in temperate climates.

n The Gardener, written by Bill Robb, appears each Thursday in the Times & Transcript. Bill can be reached by e-mailing to contemplativegardener@hotmail.com or by writing to him care of the Times & Transcript, 939 Main St., Moncton, N.B. E1C 8P3.