“Green Emerson” [1]
Sketch of trees at the Emersons’ house from Poets’ Homes by Arthur Gilman (D. Lothrop and Company, 1879).
Inspired by nature, Emerson was able to bring it even closer in the surroundings he chose for his newly-purchased Concord home in 1835. In July 1835, he wrote to his brother William, “…it is a mean place & cannot be fine until trees & flowers give it a character of its own.”
Emerson recorded in his journal on November 5, 1836: “This day I have been scrambling in the woods, and with the help of Peter Howe I have got six hemlock trees to plant in my yard, which may grow whilst my boy is sleeping.” The Emerson’s first child Waldo had been born in October 1836.
In May 1837, Dr. Hobbs, Dr. Adams, and Mr. Ripley sent Emerson 31 trees, consisting mostly of white pine, chestnut, hemlock, and catalpa. This was the origin of the nine chestnut trees [2] fronting the house. In subsequent years, children were drawn to Emerson’s yard, asking to gather the fallen chestnuts. His last chestnut tree came down in a windstorm in 2012. Two new chestnut trees were planted from the castings and thrive today in front of his house.
The following year, Emerson wrote to his literary friend—and Scottish essayist—Thomas Carlyle, “…a week ago I set out on the west side of my house forty young pine trees.”
In a subsequent letter, Emerson expressed his enjoyment in the results: “To the balsam fir tree by my study window come the ground squirrel, oriole, cedar-bird, goldfinch, cat bird, parti-colored warbler and robin.” [3]
By the spring of 1847 Emerson had planted 128 fruit trees, consisting of apple, pear, and plum. On Sunday morning walks with his children through the orchard, he would point out and identify the trees. They would pick and eat any ripe fruit.
As the years passed, Emerson, his family, and his trees shared many seasons and life cycles.
Looking to autumn, Emerson wrote, “The world has nothing to offer more rich or entertaining than the days which October always brings us, when, after first frosts, a steady shower of gold falls in the strong wind from the chestnuts, maples and hickories; …” [4]
— I. Bornstein, Emerson House guide
Emerson kept diligent records of his trees. Photo by R. Davis.
A list of “Selected Pears” in Emerson’s tree log. Photo by R. Davis.
WORKS CITED:
The Best Read Naturalist: Nature Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Ed. Michael P. Branch, Clinton Mohs. U. of Virginia Press, 2017.
The actual plants under discussion are horse chestnuts, Aesculus spp., and not true chestnuts, Castanea spp.
Ralph Waldo Emerson. John McAleer. Little Brown & Company, 1984.
From The Country Life lecture given by Emerson in March 1858. The Atlantic Monthly, November 1904.
