Just taking a long, last look at my lovely row of palm trees before they are cut down. We planted them at Easter nine years ago, shortly after moving into our new home in Oroklini – a not so quiet village on the outskirts of Larnaca, Cyprus.  Unfortunately the trees adapted a little too well to the garden and have now grown so high that they are threatening  the foundations of the wall behind them and overhanging our neighbours garden, so much so, that they have reported us to the council. So the tress will have to go…

It is not the first time that we have lost a beautiful tree; our gorgeous date tree was attacked by an infestation of black beetle-like creatures called, “red palm weevil” which feasts on the roots of date palms. Unfortunately we did not even realise there was a problem until one day the huge tree collapsed sideways. We had to have it chopped down and the roots treated with poison. Dozens of huge black beetles came scurrying out – and I really mean huge! Currently palm trees are dying at an alarming rate in Cyprus due to this persistent pest, but fortunately we still have our orange, lemon and olive trees to give us fresh fruit from the garden.