Walking down Hampton Street in Elmira, it’s impossible to miss the towering bitternut hickory standing proud and tall above the surrounding houses.
One of the neighbours, Sandra Bray, nominated this green giant for this year’s Waterloo Region Tree of the Year contest after being charmed herself by its magnificence. The 110-year-old tree commands attention with its 25-metre height and 74.5-centimetre width.
“I can see it from my deck, and it’s just astounding. Watching the tree is like watching the ocean. Squirrels fly through and the gaps in between grow larger and smaller depending on whether we’re going through a drought, if it’s a moist period or windy period,” said Bray, adding that after reading newspaper articles about previous Tree of the Year campaigns she decided to nominate her neighbourhood tree for this year’s contest.
