Ginkgo Biloba

I came across the Ginkgo Biloba tree in the pictures below while I was cleaning Holland Park today - it is very close to the trumpet sculpture that fascinated me previously (it turns out that that sculpture's name is 'The Annunciation', which I learnt thanks to Ms Jennie Kettlewell and which I think is very fitting). The plaque at the bottom states that, in November 1987, the mayor at the time planted this tree as the first in one of several hundred needed to repair the damage caused to the Royal Borough's open spaces, including Holland Park, by the Great Storm of 1987.

I find this very fitting, because a Ginkgo Biloba really is a special tree. It has existed for 270 million years and is the last of its kind - all of its close relatives have become extinct due to climate change, excessive browsing by herbivores or other factors. So it could be said to represent longevity and endurance. Furthermore, it is the source of best-selling herbal medicines and has many proven health benefits such as countering fatigue, anxiety and depression, and enhancing the function of the circulatory system and the eyes. 

I think that we can look to this tree as an example of how we can act to keep ourselves safe and healthy during this pandemic. It sets an example of patient success and good living that we may aspire towards. It is yet another tree to which I have become grateful over these past few weeks.


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