Give a tree all the space it needs and it will grow into one of the most majestic living beings in the world.

Lonely tree in Huldenberg, in the hills of Brabant, Belgium

There is a huge difference between a tree in a forest and a lonely one, without any other trees bothering him. In a forest, there is competition everywhere. Fighting for light in the sky and growing as tall as possible, fighting for nutrients or water in the soil and spending all your energy on digging deeper and further for those precious resources.

A lonely tree  has all the space it needs, it does not have to worry about competition. It can grow exactly the shape it wants, which is – again – the ideal shape to catch the light.  It is interesting to see how they maximise their light input by creating the perfect shape and how all leaves contribute their part.

It must be fantastic to be a lonely tree…