Rolleston Avenue

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30499, 22 July 1964, Page 16

Rolleston Avenue

Sir,—While ginkgo trees are medium-sized trees of much beauty, and admirable for planting in suitable places, surely Rolleston avenue is not one of the suitable places to put Chinese trees. It is the tall English trees that have for years added their distinctive character and charm to what has always seemed to me to be typically the heart of Christchurch the museum, university, gardens corner of our city. Admittedly many of the Rolleston avenue trees now need to be replaced, let them be replaced with trees that will not alter the whole character of that lovely part of Christchurch. Let us have English trees again. There are so many English trees, some of which are surely suitable. The chestnuts are a joy each year. To plant Chinese trees in that position seems lacking in imaginative appreciation of our heritage. Sentiment? Yes, but do we not need to preserve some of it?—Yours, etc.,

ALISON MacGIBBON. July 21, 1964.

Sir,—lt is very easy to be wise after the event, but although agreeing with the City Council’s decision to remove trees that are in a dangerous condition, I find it hard to understand why some system of removal and replacement has not been undertaken over the years. The Chinese ginko biloba is a beautiful tree but why has it been preferred to the English trees, for this most English part of our city? These old trees have been the glory of Rolleston avenue. Remove them if they are unsafe, but please replace them with English trees.—Yours, etc., BETTY WEBB. July 21, 1964.

Sir,—Oh dear, oh dear; and so now they intend to replant Rolleston avenue with ginkgos. Just fancy, planting Chinese trees in the most English part of this garden city!—Yours, etc., BARBER’S POLE. July 21, 1964.