Two views of the same scene

D109-2018
Fallen arched tree, Heathdale area
The trail that passes beneath the tree is on a slight incline as it passes diagonally across a steeper hill. The top view is from below, and the bottom, reverse view is from above. Where it crosses the trail, the fallen tree is perhaps 8-10 feet off the ground, or more.

My guess is that the tree began to lean many years before it finally fell, and grew that way long enough to adopt the curved trunk. As its lean increased, branches and a neighboring tree kept it from falling sideways to the ground. Eventually the root system could no longer keep it even marginally upright, and it subsided into its present position. However this minor marvel came about, I'm just glad the arboretum caretakers saw fit to leave it in place rather than chopping the trunk up and hauling it away.

The green shrubs are rhododendrons that mark the western edge of an area called Heathdale within the Arboretum. It's an area that features rhododendrons, azaleas, mountains laurels, as well as other ornamental trees and shrubs, and a wide variety of ferns and native wildflowers, none of which are yet in bloom.

Nichols Arboretum
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Taken April 19, 2018

Other photos to which I have given starter comments are collected here, to make them easier to find: https://arctangent.smugmug.com/ExploreSampleSavorEnjoy/What-I-and-other-viewers-like/Starting-conversations/

Each view is a photomerge of two landscape format singles. After processing each of them, I cropped them and resized them to match for inclusion in the montage. I've mapped the approximate location. For locals who want to see it, follow the trail into the Heathdale area from the main trail. You can't miss it.

arctangent2018Aprilnatureseasonsspringwoodswoodlandfallen treetrailsNichols ArboretumHeathdaleAnn ArborMichiganphotomergemontageoddity

Montages, Sets, Assemblies, etc.