DURING the past week I have been out digging holes in my local village green. I haven't been on a destructive trail of mindless vandalism, or fruitlessly searching for gold. I've been helping to plant a tree of memory, dedicated to a local inhabitant.

The operation was carried out with a serious sense of duty and respect. The location had to be well assessed and then agreed by all present. The turf that was removed went towards repairing nearby wear and tear holes in the green.

The tree was faced up so that it could be appreciated from the main road as well as from the cobbled pathway nearby. Any crossing branches were pruned out to sharpen up the outline give it the best possible shape. In conclusion, the evening was rounded off with a good ceremonial dose of gin and tonic (for the workers, not the tree).

I personally think this is such a wonderful way to remember a loved one, and hope that someone would find the time and motivation to do the same for me when I am gone. It gives you a reference point where you can keep in touch with that person. You can talk to it, collect the flowers or even hug it. The tree gets to be known as 'so and so's tree' tree.

The tough choice though is choosing the right kind of tree. In this case there was a need for a fairly small tree, as it didn't want to be blocking views from windows, or overhanging the nearby bench. The main priority was an attractive display of flowers. It needed to be of interest for as much of the year as possible and preferably be of benefit to the wildlife.

The tree chosen by the committee on the parish council matched all these criteria. It was an Amelanchier canadensis. This is a beautiful, hardy, spring flowering tree, which originates from North America. The indigenous Indians used to refer to it as the June Berry tree, as it produces small edible, purple fruits in late summer, which they used as a major source of food. Here they have no commercial value and are usually only eaten by birds as soon as they ripen.

The yearly display begins in March as the terminal buds begin to swell. There is a pink tinge to the fat fluffy buds. A few weeks later they burst into a mass of delicate white flowers with starry petals. The foliage at this stage is new and a fresh lime green. Over the summer this deepens to a darker green. The flowers fade and begin to build up into the bilberry-like fruit. In autumn the leaves stop producing chlorophyll and start turning orange and red.

They thrive in any old ordinary garden soil, but do particularly well in that which is well drained and in a sunny position. They need very little attention, only light pruning if the branches cross or become damaged. They will only reach an average height of five metres during a lifetime and do not produce a ground-swelling root system.

All in all then, the Amelanchier that we planted on the village green will not only serve as an all year round reminder of a departed local character, but also as an enhancement to the local scenery.

READER'S QUESTION JOAN has e-mailed me about her miniature pear tree. Last year she lost all the leaves and blossom to the pear blister mite. She wants to know what she can do about it if it returns next year.

THE sign of pear leaf blister mite infestation is the development of small, raised yellowish-green or pink blisters on foliage in mid to late spring. By summer, the blisters have darkened and turned black. These are caused by microscopic gall mites (Eriophyes pyri), which enter the stomata, or breathing pores, of the leaves. The blistered appearance is a result of chemicals secreted by the mites as they feed.

The pest used to be controlled with powdered sulphur or petroleum sprays, but these aren't available to gardeners nowadays. Today, the only remedy left is regular spraying with cold water (which provides a non-compatible environment for the dry-heat loving insect). Cosmetically, the affected leaves can be painstakingly picked off. However, although the tree may look unhealthy, the mite should cause no actual damage to the fruit production. The loss of blossom may be due to an unrelated climatic condition.

JOBS TO DO THIS WEEK Sow parsnip seeds PARSNIPS take a long time to grow and develop. Sow now in free draining soil which has been fed with well-rotted, lump-free manure. Start feeding the fish THE pond is beginning to come back to life. The frogs are gathering and the fish waking up. If you have goldfish or koi, they will benefit from feeding with wheatgerm foodsticks.

Spruce up houseplants THE build up of dust can deprive plants of light. Those with shiny leaves can be wiped with a damp cloth. More delicate plants can be groomed using a feather duster or soft brush.

POST SCRIPT DON'T forget to tune into Radio Cleveland's new gardening programme which starts this Sunday. Ask About Gardening with myself and Paul Anderson will be on air on 95FM from 12-2pm. Please do use this opportunity ring in with any questions, answers to other peoples queries, hints and tips, or simply to air your views on garden related topics. You can take part even if you are too shy to come on air yourself. You can write, e-mail (to me, The Northern Echo, Nature's World or Radio Cleveland), text or leave your message with our phone assistants. brigidpress67.freeserve.co.uk or write c/o Nature's World Ladgate Lane, Acklam, Middlesbrough.

Published: 08/03/2003