I did a radio interview recently where I was asked to list my favourite slow summer things to do. At the time, I was preoccupied with the best places to find shade and suggested, among other things, sitting beneath the 43-metre canopy of the magnificent Lady Loch’s oak tree in the Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG).

Someone from the RBG telephoned the studio later to say that the grand old oak actually fell on 15 November ‘07, exactly 118 years and one day after it was planted. It was sad and kind of lovely. And funny that I was recommending people sit under a tree that no longer existed. Hey, but at least there weren’t any readers of the Slow Guide sitting under the tree when it split and keeled over (although the publicity would have been handy!) The RBG hasn’t decided what to do with the wood yet. No doubt it will be highly sought after by artisans. What I’d give to have a kitchen table made from Lady Loch’s oak. Well, what I’d give probably couldn’t afford it anyway. It would be nice to think the RBG might commission a sculpture to be made out of it, a permanent presence in the gardens. We’ll see.

Anyway, I guess it just goes to show we should enjoy these things while we can. Seize the moment, so to speak, a perfectly logical slow way to live. (Martin)