Talking Dutch: Flanders roots for the loveliest lime
Will Massemen’s much-loved lime tree take the coveted title of European Tree of the Year? It’s up against some serious competition
Derek Blyth on natural wonders
You may think there are more important issues in Europe, but not for the inhabitants of one Flemish village. De dorpslinde wordt gekoesterd in Massemen – The village lime tree is cherished in Massemen, explained Het Nieuwsblad.
Zijn knoestige stamen – Its gnarled trunk, zijn holle binnenkant – its hollow core, zijn wollige lenteblaren – its delicate spring foliage zeggen het zonder woorden – speak for themselves.
It’s a tree that was around when Rubens was still alive. Hij kreunde van schrik – It cried out in terror toen de kerk in 1645 in lichterlaaie stond – when the church went up in flames in 1645; hij vierde feest met de Heren van Massemen – it celebrated along with the Lords of Massemen toen het dorp een prinsdom werd in 1650 – when the village became a principality in 1650 en hij zag hoe de Franskiljons verdreven werden in 1798 – and it watched as the French were chased out in 1798.
Everyone in the village – part of Wetteren in East Flanders – knows the tree (pictured). Deze linde verspreidt een heerlijk parfum – The lime gives off a wonderful smell, prijkt op menig schilderij – appears in several paintings en nog steeds ontluikt er nieuwe liefde onder de bladeren – and even now, young love blossoms under its branches.
What’s more, this ancient Flemish lime might soon be the most famous tree in Europe. De dorpslinde van Massemen is een van de zestien bomen – The Massemen village lime is one of 16 trees die verkozen kan worden tot Europese boom van het jaar – nominated for European Tree of the Year.
Extremely proud
Launched in 2011, the European Tree of the Year contest gets entries from countries across the continent. De dorpslinde werd verkozen uit zeven Vlaamse en Brusselse bomen – The lime tree was selected from seven entries in Flanders and Brussels, en haalde in België meer dan 6.500 stemmen – and got more than 6,500 votes in Belgium.
Ik ben bijzonder fier dat onze linde België mag vertegenwoordigen – I’m extremely proud that our lime will represent Belgium, said Benedicte Vispoel, who entered the tree in the competition.
It won’t be easy to take home the prize. The Flemish lime is up against a Sycamore gap tree in England, a Russalka oak in Estonia and the venerable sessile oak next to the Nassalevtsi church in Bulgaria. Online voting takes place until 28 February, and the winner is announced in the European Parliament on 21 March. But that’s a blink of an eye in the life of a 450-year-old tree.
Photo: Roel Jacobs
