People shared with us photos of trees in Toronto that they found particularly unique. Along with the photo, they provided a brief story about how that tree stands out from the crowd, or is uniquely special to them. Here are the top 10 trees in this category:
A Steadying Presence - Andrea B.
The tree on my street that is most special and unique to me is a strong and sturdy one. It reaches taller than the tallest house, and it is probably older than our oldest resident, too.
I chose this tree because of its steadying presence. Over the past several months I’ve been recovering from a bike accident, so I’ve spent a good deal of time close to home. I’m noticing things I hadn’t seen before, like how the trunk of this tree encroaches on the sidewalk, the rich texture of its bark. Sometimes I reach out to touch it as I walk by. This tree is always there, always standing true, lending its strength and constancy to the residents of Torrens Avenue.
A Well-Loved Nuisance - M M
This tree is a nuisance. It stands too close to the house in a tiny garden in the shade of a 100-year-old Silver Maple. Birds sit on its branches and drop little gifts on freshly washed T-shirts hanging on the clothesline below. Its needles clog the downspout and leave a prickly carpet on the shingles. Raccoons use it as a ladder to hold picnics on the roof. Pine cones litter the patio. In a strong wind, its branches brush the house and wires. The neighbours complain about it.... But this tree is here to stay. It stole our hearts on Earth Day twenty-five years ago when our young son brought it home from kindergarten as a seedling in a paper cup!
Cherry Beach - Lauren Purves
This is one of my favourite trees in Toronto. It’s “daddy long leg” roots squatting like a giant. It’s creepy shape and posture are as mysterious as life itself. The tree is situated right on the beach, and you can easily recognize it’s underwater passageways of roots once submerged in Lake Ontario. You wonder how long her “legs” have been revealed since underwater. The ground sinks as the water levels lower, revealing more of her roots.
Dawn Redwood High Park - Mountview Alt. PS Room 105 Grade 3/4 students
Teacher Glenna Munro (who took the photo): “Many begged to climb this tree and eat lunch in it today. I took the advice of the movie “Project Wild Thing” and went ahead and let them!” The class had a fantastic field trip in High Park. I (Tina) am a parent volunteer doing the submission.
Dawn Redwood in Edwards Gardens - Jason Ramsay-Brown
Metasequoia (dawn redwood) are one of the few deciduous conifers, and very rare in Toronto. They are often referred to as “living fossils” as the species was first cataloged by palaeobotanists in 1941 and was believed to be extinct until living specimens were identified in China a few years later. This one, which can be found in Edwards Gardens near the Children’s Centre and Teaching Garden, is believed to be one of the oldest standing in Toronto. It is said to have been planted in 1960, on a site chosen to ensure it would would be bathed in the early morning sunlight on June 20 each year, the birthday of the wife of the gardener who planted it.
Hope for the Future - Leigh D
This little tree represents continuing hope for restoration and positive change. It sits outside a small apartment building that houses a nifty little espresso bar. The coffee shop was formerly an adult video store (!) Now the windows are uncovered and overlook a bunch of Muskoka chairs where neighbours gather to chat in the sunshine. The owner is an active participant in the Broadview Avenue Planning Study, working for more positive change in the neighbourhood. And he is green. After losing a tree in the 2013 ice storm, he immediately replaced it with a nice red oak that is well cared for ... and arranged benches around the new tree so it assumes a place of honour on the side patio. That is not this tree, though. This is a baby Bur Oak, tucked into the side garden. James propagated this lovely little tree from his parents’ property in Markham and is raising it with a view to eventual transplant somewhere that it can thrive. That’s a lot of good stuff for one guy to contribute to his community!
"Old Elm in the Heart of My House" - Tim Leach
This towering elm tree has been a denizen of Riverdale for generations. Our house was built to accommodate it, so as to ensure its continued existence. As a result, the elm is surrounded by the house, and it has become a lovely feature of almost every room on every level. At this time of year, its broad canopy provides welcome shade for our fourth floor deck and its unobstructed view of the downtown skyline. Despite the urban invasion, the elm continues to flourish, stretching above the housetops on the edge of the Don Valley like a monarch of nature surveying its ancient domain.
Unique De Grassi Tree - Greg Gauvreau
Sister Gwen, on a neighbourhood walk, discovered this unique tree with “two kinds of leaves, very distinct.” She told her urban forester friend Michael White, Tai Chi instructor at Mustard Seed, (Sisters of St.Joseph) about this “wonderful phenomenon”, and wondered if a branch had been grafted on to the tree. After Tai Chi class one day, Michael took me to the tree.
He wondered if it might be a new species, but in discussion with an arborist friend, Michael says it might be a natural modification - a branch shot out that was different. For Sister Gwen this unique tree is a example of how “two became friends” and she says, “if you don’t beLEAF this story come and see for yourself.”
Witches House - Greg Hefford
This tree has survived its previous owners. When the house was sold last year I feared it would be cut down. Perhaps they bought the house because of the tree. Perfect setting for Halloween or an old Hitchcock film.
X Marks the Spot! - Penny
Five years ago my family started looking for a new home and like anyone looking for a new home knows its exciting and stressful. We had seen about 30 houses and we were getting slightly weary, but when we walked into this house and saw this beautiful tree in the backyard we knew this was the place for us. You see my partner has a tattoo on her back that looks almost exactly like this tree and so it was like ‘x’ marked the spot. Everyone that walks into our backyard always exclaims how huge it is and when they ask if we know how big it is I say I don’t actually know but I do know you can wrap your wide spread arms around it three times, so its approximately 3 hugs wide.
Five of the finalists were determined through popular vote and the other five were selected by LEAF. Our amazing and talented judges will pick one winner in each category to be announced at an awards ceremony on Wednesday June 24, 2015. We invite you to join us for the awards ceremony - it's free and open to anyone who loves trees. Come out and cheer for your favourites! Register by June 19, 2015.
The Great Toronto Tree Hunt is supported by TD Friends of the Environment Foundation along with Ontario Power Generation and City of Toronto.