Return of the Bay Tree (Or, in Praise of the Occasional Beheading)

Another plant I'm happy about is my bay leaf tree. I had it indoors in a presentable looking pot by my cooker for about a year before I got my allotment. Though it did provide a steady supply of fresh bay leaves (rarely unwelcome in any recipe) I felt it really wanted and deserved to live outside. So around September last year I found a spot for it on my allotment and left it to nature's devices.

Right through until around April, it was starting to look as though this had been a mistake.

Three or four sorry brown leaves were all that remained. Until I noticed this:

A new branch! All green, and everything. As concerned the tree itself, there was only one thing for it. I would have to chop its head off. So I did. Cut it right back to just above where the new branch had sprouted. Two months later, I'm proud to present:

A healthy and productive new branch. Lesson learned: trees, unlike humans, don't mind having their heads chopped off every now and again. In fact, they often seem to thrive from it.