Eucalyptus!

Eucalyptus, here in the forest? Well, yes, we visited one of those special woodland places; special because of its uniqueness. Nearby once stood Holm Hill Cottage, long gone but for a few bricks; all around in what must have been a once well kept garden are exotic non indigenous plants, evil rhododendrons and such like. Then your eyes are drawn to a stand of exotic trees, smooth greyish bark, tall and straight with crowns of waxy looking light green leaves; a stand of mature eucalyptus. Who'd have thought it? As you walked between them you became aware of an unusual odour caused by us trampling the fallen leaves and bark strips which hung from the trunks and branches, subtle like soft cloves but sweet and clean smelling. Between some of these fabulous trees small saplings were growing with leaves at an accessible height; we picked some and crushed them, they let off a stronger smell, pungent, harder to identify the subtle stands that made it up. Lovely piece of forest, must have been something living here.