Gardener’s notebook: how to tune into the ‘gurgle and pop’ of trees as they reawaken for spring

Lifeless garden? Hardly. Tune in to spring right now by hugging a tree — you can sometimes hear it reawaken
Woman Hugging a Tree
Listen up: you can hear the sap rising in tree trunks in spring
Getty Images
George Hudson3 March 2023

You could be forgiven for thinking there isn’t a huge amount going on in your garden at this time of year, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Now is the time to observe, not just with your eyes but your ears and nose, too.

Don’t be surprised if you see me listening to a tree over the next few weeks (by listening, I mean ear firmly on a trunk or branch). I’ve learnt recently that at this time of year, in certain trees, you can occasionally hear the sap rising.

And since discovering this I’ve become somewhat obsessed.

When you do hear a gurgle or pop coming from a tree it is truly mind-blowing and is an experience that has made me see the natural world differently.

Sarcococca confusa. Christmas Box. Sweet Box.
The scent of sweet box is all around London
Alamy Stock Photo

If you can get over other people thinking you are weird when you press your ear to your neighbourhood tree trunks, you become more aware of your surroundings — specifically the plants and trees.

Listening works best on a tree with smooth bark and a fairly hefty trunk or branch. I’ve had the most success listening to eucalyptus, but supposedly you can also hear the sap in species such as birch and cherry, which are plentiful in London.

Don’t be downhearted if you can’t hear the sap circulating. Feeling the vibrations of the smaller branches and twigs in the wind is also a mindful experience, so take the time to assimilate your senses with the wider natural world.

As leaf and flower buds start to swell, this is also a great time to see if you can tell the difference between different deciduous trees and shrubs in your outdoor space.

Look at the stem and bud colour, the shape and in which direction they point. Then look for other clues such as seed pods and cones, and spring catkins. The Woodland Trust has a handy ‘Twig Identification’ chart online that is aimed at children, but unless you can already identify 18 trees by their twigs alone, you’ll find it as useful as I did.

You can also use your nose to connect to the natural world. We’ve all followed the smell of fresh bread and pastries to a bakery, but how often have you traced the scent of blossom back to a plant? Right now the air is thick with the scent of sweet box, or Sarcococca, soon to be replaced by daphne, as well as spring-flowering bulbs including hyacinths and some daffodils.

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