Tolkien's 'favourite tree' for #TolkienTrewsday no. 2
Thirty-two months ago I published my first ever 'Patreon' world exclusive on the Pinus Nigra at the Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum. Many things have happened since then and the saga still continues - so let us not be hasty, hrum, hoom!
When it comes to trees the Tolkien fandom is up top with the best. We are probably the only fandom where people start to swoon when you talk about the Two Trees (Abre numa nova janela) and some may even consider an instant marriage proposal if you are capable of flawlessly pronouncing Laurelin (Abre numa nova janela) and Telperion (Abre numa nova janela).
With Tolkien fans trees really are the bee's knees. - Marcel Aubron-Bülles
And no, this is not an exaggeration. It comes as no surprise that German artist Anke Eissmann shared her latest illustration today which will serve as the German Tolkien Society (Abre numa nova janela)'s event logo for their main annual membership event, the Tolkien Thing (Abre numa nova janela) (aka Tolkien Moot).
https://twitter.com/The_Tolkienist/status/1633135989106393089 (Abre numa nova janela)And trust me when I tell you - research has gone squirrel nuts on trees in the Legendarium and beyond. Just have a quick search with the Mythopoeic Society's (Abre numa nova janela) Mythlore (Abre numa nova janela), the Tolkien Society (Abre numa nova janela)'s Mallorn (Abre numa nova janela), or the Journal of Tolkien Research (Abre numa nova janela) - you won't be able to see the wood for the trees!
Having said all this, there is one particular tree - or was, to be more precise - which has played quite a part in imaginations of Tolkien. And no, not even Niggle's tree in the heartrending Leaf by Niggle (Abre numa nova janela) has had so many articles on the internet as "Tolkien's Tree." (Abre numa nova janela)
The last photograph of Tolkien beside his 'favourite tree', the Pinus Nigra, at Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum; August 9, 1973, taken by his eldest grandchild, Michael George Tolkien. (c) Tolkien Estate (Abre numa nova janela)
For the love of trees!
Much has changed since Tolkien fans in the 1960s were contemptuously named treehuggers. Not much of a surprise as the climate catastrophe (Abre numa nova janela) has made it abundantly clear that trees are rather essential to human survival.
So today we rightly celebrate trees in all their shapes and forms and it is no coincidence that Tolkien made trees talk and walk (Abre numa nova janela). I would dearly miss Fangorn if he had not been there and I am sure Merry and Pippin would say the same.
Luckily enough I still had the chance of placing my hand at about the same place as the Professor himself - once a nerd, always a nerd 🥰🌳🍃
Tolkien's favourite tree (Abre numa nova janela) in Oxford's Botanic Garden to be cut down [thetolkienist.com]
Patreon World Exclusive (Abre numa nova janela): News on Tolkien's favourite tree, the Pinus Nigra [Steady]
The Return (Abre numa nova janela) of the Pinus Nigra [Steady]
Patreon World Exclusive II (Abre numa nova janela): The Return of the Pinus Nigra - ahem, in a way, you know? [Steady]
If you feel like reading more about the Pinus Nigra and other exciting news nobody else may have heard do consider becoming a part to my Steady Adventure 🥳