I examined the Camperdown elm at OSU Vivian Hall this morning. Seems the squirrel continues to chew the bark off this tree. I wonder what it will look like in the spring and if it will leaf out at all?

Camperdown Elm

In February 2008 I spotted an unusual tree at Vivian Hall at OSU. It was a Camperdown Elm - Ulmus glabra 'Camperdownii'. Something was gnawing the bark off various limbs of the tree.

In May the tree did leaf out partially. It was surmised that a squirrel was gnawing the tree to such an extent that in some areas, the bark was completely stripped all around the limb.

The February 2009 photo above shows the damage where the bark is completely stripped all around the limb.
The OSU Chadwick Arboretum and Learning Gardens has a Camperdown Elm that is a dedicated tree in the Lane Avenue Gardens. It is pendulous - a weeping habit - and lovely under the canopy of this crabapple cultlivar, 'Coralburst'. The Camperdown Elm cultivars flatten out as if it hit a glass ceiling and the spread can go out to 13 feet. The branches are contorted with extended branches forming a zig-zag pattern with alternate toothed leaves.

It seems a squirrel has started to work on this tree. I captured him in this photo below. Why are squirrels doing this to these trees? Is it tasty? Sugar? What's the attraction?I photographed the Vivian Hall elm May 5, 2009 and on May 29th, Sharon pruned out some of the damaged dead limbs.

Recently in Goodale Park, I spotted another Camperdown Elm passing along Goodale Avenue. It was near the parking meters numbering 38 and 40. I examined it.

Similar damage was occurring and there was a squirrel going in one hole and exiting another hole down the limb. I attempted to photograph him, but he hid in the cavity.

The Three preceding photos show the line where the tree was grafted.

Wikipedia states:
About 1835 - 1840 (often miscalled as '1640'), the Earl of Camperdown’s head forester, David Taylor, discovered a mutant contorted branch growing along the ground in the forest at Camperdown House, in Dundee, Scotland. The earl's gardener produced the first Camperdown Elm by grafting it to the trunk of a Wych Elm Ulmus glabra. Every Camperdown Elm in the world is from a cutting taken from that original mutant cutting and is usually grafted on a Wych elm trunk.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulmus_glabra_%27Camperdownii%27

Entrance and Exit holes

If you download Google Earth and find Goodale Park in Columbus, Ohio, there is a handy tree i.d. inventory. This park is frequently used to teach OSU horticulture students a variety of unique trees in a park setting. The notation on this tree indicates it was last visited in 2006 with some descriptive details of size, work performed and health status. I believe this tree needs another health check up visit. There are a multitude of squirrels in the park, and I wonder if there is something to discourage the squirrels from damaging this specimen to possibly cause its demise?

I wanted to highlight some of the Field to Table activities at at the Franklin Park Conservatory Community Garden Campus. I visited the garden campus on November 4 when the warm weather was blissfully extending the gardening season. Even into December temperatures continued to moderate then suddenly, things changed, temps dropped and high winds whipped us into Winter. Tonight it is supposed to get to 12 degrees. We were probably due. This Community Garden is located on the southeastern edge of Franklin Park in Columbus, Ohio. It likely was a concept long in planning as many pieces came together for an exciting garden display venue. The major funder for the project was Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, based in nearby Marysville. But there were many benefactors indicated all over the garden noted in engraved stones and plaques.

Entrance

This screened enclosure was the Berry House and Yard. Of course all these gardens are very young and it may be hard to see the potential here, but the exposure and protected berry plants was well considered. Some seating provides an ambient meeting space day or night.

The gardens had many parts emphasizing themes of various cultures, eras and specialties. There was an indoor kitchen theater for demonstrations and several prep areas.

The menu demonstration focused on root veggies: ginger carrot soup, beet relish, parsnip cake and root veggie chips. Yum.



There was a delightful outdoor kitchen where I met Jim Boudros who was dutifully checking the place out as he prepared for his event there the next day. I've met Jim over the years and heard him on the radio with restaurant reviews and talk food. Yum. I served on the North Market Development Authority in its infancy when the Market was limping along in the quoinset hut. He came to the board after my tenure. He discussed some of the logistics of preparing a lamb roast in the fireplace. I said it looks like a Rumford fireplace. He replied, it is! Do you know the Rumford? Yes, we have one in our house that our former neighbor, Jim Buckley, installed years ago. Then I noted the credit plate where the Buckley name was noted. Jim's business, the Buckley Rumford Company is located in Port Townsend, Washington. http://www.rumford.com/ The two Jims knew each other and kept in touch even though Buckley moved to the far corner of the US.

Other features in the outdoor kitchen was a fire pit and a pizza oven with a green roof!

The pizza oven sports a live green roof of sedum.

Two pans of chickens were being roasted in the oven.

Back to the lamb cooking logistics which is called a string roasting method. A string would be hung at the top of the chimney and drape down over the front near the fire. The roast hung on the string and the heat from the flame would slowly turn the lamb, cooking the exposed sides of the roast - a kind of vertical rotisserie or a gyro cooker. Slices of the cooked lamb would be shaved off, served on a piece of sourdough bread that was brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with kosher salt. Wow! It was delicious!
String roasted recipe from the book, The Magic of Fire - Hearth Cooking by William Rubel.


Right to left: Nancy Duncan Porter, Jim Boudros and his grandson. Jim has an incredible megawatt smile. Jim is a principal of Budros, Ruhlin & Roe, financial planners. Nancy was the Executive Director for the North Market Development Authority in the period when Jim and I served. She is currently working in the Office of Development at Kenyon College. She came to Kenyon from the Columbus Museum of Art where she oversaw development, marketing, visitor services, and volunteers.

Here's one of the prep areas at the opposite end of the fireplace set up. And the back of the prep area was wood storage, I think.

Their wood stack and a photo of stacked wood posted for inspiration.


There were several raised planting beds to accommodate handicap needs - one where a wheelchair could get in close.
There was an area designated "Plant a row for the Hungry" with name tags of the planter. I know the rational for this demonstration is worthy, but I don't think this display has enough impact here. It's more symbolic than anything.

The above planting is by Alan McKnight, Director of the City of Columbus Parks and Recreation.The cabbage was planted by Frances Strickland, the Governor's wife.

The house in the center back was formerly a resident caretaker's house. It has now become, I believe, the new office of the American Community Garden Association. http://www.communitygarden.org/

This lovely rose was either in the cutting garden or fragrance garden.