Call the copse! The sudden flourishing of culture about trees

From a fake forest in central London to Chekhov's Cherry Orchard told from the orchard's point of view, writers, directors and artists are exploring the roots of natureLet me tell you a story. Long, long ago, the Pelasgians, a people who lived in Thessaly, planted a forest grove in honour of Demeter - the goddess who breathes life into seeds, who makes young leaves unfurl, who unclenches the grip of winter, who taught humans how to bind straw into sheaves. The forest was so dense, so close-packed with elms and apple and pear trees, that you couldn't shoot an arrow through it if you tried. Demeter loved the place beyond almost any other.But one day, a king called Erysichthon brought 20 men to the forest armed with axes. The first tree that was hacked by a bronze blade was a tall, elegant poplar. That tree screamed in agony. Continue reading...