Lessons in tree care from ancient Egypt

Hatshepsut, the world’s first arboriculturist

"When her fleet of five ships returned after the two year voyage they brought back five shiploads of various goods, yet the most prized of all their cargo was 31 live frankincense trees. The trees had been carefully excavated and their roots bound in balls of their indigenous soil for the duration of the long voyage. Upon arrival Hatshepsut had the trees planted in the courts of her Deir el Bahari mortuary temple. When these exotic trees were planted it would become the first known transplanting and establishment of foreign trees".

That is really interesting-- especially the bas relief showing the use of a basket with straps around the root ball. It could have been a photo of a modern tree planting. I do think people were transplanting trees and shrubs long before this, however. (Afterall, how did they know how to do it if they hadn't been practicing the techniques long enough to see that they worked?) The average farmer just didn't have the luck to be a pharoah or the wealth to hire an artist to commemorate the event. I also doubt that Hathesheput, herself, was in charge of the transplanting. Probably it went more like "Hey, all you slaves! I want some frankincense and myrrh trees over here in my garden. Go get some for me." So they did.

that is cool and very timely as my son and I just found the mother of all aspen trees bacvk in the far reaches of our woods..it is huge..will be photographing it soon