Heart of Oak in the news...
The Telegraph
Farmer creates heart-shaped meadow in memory of wifeA devoted farmer created this touching heart-shaped meadow as a tribute to his late wife - by planting thousands of oak trees.
10:26AM BST 13 Jul 2012
Dedicated Winston Howes, 70, spent a week planting each oak sapling after his wife of 33 years Janet died suddenly 17 years ago. He laid out the fledgling trees in a six-acre field but left a perfect heart shape in the middle - with the point facing in the direction of her childhood home. The labour of love has now blossomed into a mature meadow - a peaceful oasis where Winston can sit and remember his wife of 33 years. His meadow cannot be seen from the road and has remained a family secret until a hot air balloonist took this photograph from the air. Mr Howes said: "I came up with the idea of creating a heart in the clearing of the field after Janet died. "I thought it was a great idea - it was a flash of inspiration - and I planted several thousand oak trees."Once it was completed we put seat in the field, overlooking the hill near where she used to live. I sometimes go down there, just to sit and think about things. It is a lovely and lasting tribute to her which will be here for years." Mr Howes, who owns an 112-acre farm near Wickwar, South Gloucestershire, decided to seed housewife Janet's legacy after she died from heart failure in 1995, aged 50. The pair got married in nearby Stroud in 1962. He created with the wood using small oak trees next to his farmhouse in the months after her death - marking out an acre-long heart with a large bushy hedge. The entrance to the secret heart is only accessible from a track leading up to its tip.Mr Howes said: "We got people in especially to do it - there are several thousand trees. "We planted large oak trees around the edge of the heart then decided to put a hedge around it too. "The heart points towards Wotton Hill, where Janet is from. "We plant daffodils in the middle that come up in the spring - it looks great. I go out there from time to time and sit in the seat I created. "I also flew over it myself about five years ago." Mr Howes's memorial was shown in all its glory after keen hot air balloonist Andy Collett, 42, from Wotton-Under-Edge, Glos., soared over the wood last week. The transport businessman could not believe his eyes when he discovered the symbol of love hidden among the trees. He said: "I have my own balloon and am quite a regular flyer - but this was the most amazing sight I have ever seen from the sky. "It was a perfect heart hidden away from view - you would not know it was there.
"You can just imagine the love story."
10:26AM BST 13 Jul 2012
Dedicated Winston Howes, 70, spent a week planting each oak sapling after his wife of 33 years Janet died suddenly 17 years ago. He laid out the fledgling trees in a six-acre field but left a perfect heart shape in the middle - with the point facing in the direction of her childhood home. The labour of love has now blossomed into a mature meadow - a peaceful oasis where Winston can sit and remember his wife of 33 years. His meadow cannot be seen from the road and has remained a family secret until a hot air balloonist took this photograph from the air. Mr Howes said: "I came up with the idea of creating a heart in the clearing of the field after Janet died. "I thought it was a great idea - it was a flash of inspiration - and I planted several thousand oak trees."Once it was completed we put seat in the field, overlooking the hill near where she used to live. I sometimes go down there, just to sit and think about things. It is a lovely and lasting tribute to her which will be here for years." Mr Howes, who owns an 112-acre farm near Wickwar, South Gloucestershire, decided to seed housewife Janet's legacy after she died from heart failure in 1995, aged 50. The pair got married in nearby Stroud in 1962. He created with the wood using small oak trees next to his farmhouse in the months after her death - marking out an acre-long heart with a large bushy hedge. The entrance to the secret heart is only accessible from a track leading up to its tip.Mr Howes said: "We got people in especially to do it - there are several thousand trees. "We planted large oak trees around the edge of the heart then decided to put a hedge around it too. "The heart points towards Wotton Hill, where Janet is from. "We plant daffodils in the middle that come up in the spring - it looks great. I go out there from time to time and sit in the seat I created. "I also flew over it myself about five years ago." Mr Howes's memorial was shown in all its glory after keen hot air balloonist Andy Collett, 42, from Wotton-Under-Edge, Glos., soared over the wood last week. The transport businessman could not believe his eyes when he discovered the symbol of love hidden among the trees. He said: "I have my own balloon and am quite a regular flyer - but this was the most amazing sight I have ever seen from the sky. "It was a perfect heart hidden away from view - you would not know it was there.
"You can just imagine the love story."
The Times
A bird’s eye view of undying love.A farmer’s poignant memorial to his late wife went unnoticed until a balloonist spotted it during a flight Andy Collett, from Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire, said: “I have my own balloon and I’m quite a regular flyer but this was the most amazing sight I have ever seen from the sky.
“It was a perfect heart hidden away from view.” The six-acre wood was planted by Winston Howes, 70, after the death 17 years ago of his wife, Janet. At the centre he left a heart shaped clearing that points in the direction of Wotton Hill, her childhood home.
“It was a perfect heart hidden away from view.” The six-acre wood was planted by Winston Howes, 70, after the death 17 years ago of his wife, Janet. At the centre he left a heart shaped clearing that points in the direction of Wotton Hill, her childhood home.
Community tree watch
The second is a more traditional love story where a man wanted to create a beautiful tribute to his wife who he had been married to for 33-years. Janet Howes the wife of Englishman Winston Howes died 17-years ago in 1995 of heart failure at age 50.
To honor her Mr Howes planted 6,000 Oak tree saplings on 6-acres of his farm near Wickwar, in South Gloucestershire, in the southwest of England. He left a 1-acre heart-shaped clearing in the middle & the point of the heart shows the direction of his wife’s childhood home.
Inside the heart is a grass meadow that Mr Howes planted out with Daffodil bulbs that bloom every spring. I think Mr Howes created something of profound beauty. It was only ‘discovered’ a little over a week ago. http://ti.me/Nsysis
To honor her Mr Howes planted 6,000 Oak tree saplings on 6-acres of his farm near Wickwar, in South Gloucestershire, in the southwest of England. He left a 1-acre heart-shaped clearing in the middle & the point of the heart shows the direction of his wife’s childhood home.
Inside the heart is a grass meadow that Mr Howes planted out with Daffodil bulbs that bloom every spring. I think Mr Howes created something of profound beauty. It was only ‘discovered’ a little over a week ago. http://ti.me/Nsysis
Many of the newspapers told the same story not just in the UK but all around the world. Time magazine and CBS news in America ran the story and it also appeared on BBC Points West - I have a copy of this if anyone is interested.Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter played a large part in spreading the story.
These are some of the thousands of lovely comments people have posted. I have copied them from web pages so any spelling, punctuation or grammar is the writer's mistake not mine! :D
Names and dates have been removed as there are far too many people for me to ask permission to use their comments...
Names and dates have been removed as there are far too many people for me to ask permission to use their comments...
The Huffington Post comments
What a guy!!! Janet was a lucky lady.
True love......... Don't see it very often any more. Although I am sure it still exists somewhere. Like in that beautiful story...
Can we have just news like this please? and lots of it... no more rubbish :o)
aww, so sweet!
Restores my faith in people a lobour of love, brilliant
thats the sweetest thing i've seen in a while xx
Nice.
Wondefull just wonderfull.
How touching :)
what a wonderful man - this will turn into a local story for many years to come - a true memorial in the spirit of the 'folly'
How wonderful
Lovely memory of the loved one!
Quite simply, this is what you call pure devotion and true love.
True love......... Don't see it very often any more. Although I am sure it still exists somewhere. Like in that beautiful story...
Can we have just news like this please? and lots of it... no more rubbish :o)
aww, so sweet!
Restores my faith in people a lobour of love, brilliant
thats the sweetest thing i've seen in a while xx
Nice.
Wondefull just wonderfull.
How touching :)
what a wonderful man - this will turn into a local story for many years to come - a true memorial in the spirit of the 'folly'
How wonderful
Lovely memory of the loved one!
Quite simply, this is what you call pure devotion and true love.
CBS news comments
That is very sweet what he did for his wife & now how many men do that when their wife past. GOD BLESS HIM ((:
This story is interesting on so many levels. First it makes me choke up a little bit, the whole bitter-sweetness of the heart. That he maintained all these years.. And then... it kind of makes you wonder what inspires that kind of devotion - like what was their lives together like? Was it her, or was he a more romantic type guy? He never wanted to remarry? And then... WOW, how is it possible nobody noticed it for SEVENTEEN YEARS??? I guess it must be in a remote area, with no airport nearby, and it's not in the path of fligyhts to and from anywhere? How is that possible??? (can you tell I live in a big city? :))
Sometimes people do beautiful things. Too bad that it's becoming a rarity.
Nice tribute....
Love never dies.
He truely loved her and that is so rare and so beautiful.
What a heartwarming demonstration of long lasting love. I am sorry you lost your wife all those lonely years ago Mr.Howes.
The hot air ballonist should have kept the secret to himself. Obviously Mr Howes' intention was not to announce his gesture to the world.
There is always someone who will spoil everything. Someone who just can't skeep their yak shut!
This man really loved his wife, undoubtedly.
I guess he wanted her to see how much he loved her whenever she looked down...
This story is interesting on so many levels. First it makes me choke up a little bit, the whole bitter-sweetness of the heart. That he maintained all these years.. And then... it kind of makes you wonder what inspires that kind of devotion - like what was their lives together like? Was it her, or was he a more romantic type guy? He never wanted to remarry? And then... WOW, how is it possible nobody noticed it for SEVENTEEN YEARS??? I guess it must be in a remote area, with no airport nearby, and it's not in the path of fligyhts to and from anywhere? How is that possible??? (can you tell I live in a big city? :))
Sometimes people do beautiful things. Too bad that it's becoming a rarity.
Nice tribute....
Love never dies.
He truely loved her and that is so rare and so beautiful.
What a heartwarming demonstration of long lasting love. I am sorry you lost your wife all those lonely years ago Mr.Howes.
The hot air ballonist should have kept the secret to himself. Obviously Mr Howes' intention was not to announce his gesture to the world.
There is always someone who will spoil everything. Someone who just can't skeep their yak shut!
This man really loved his wife, undoubtedly.
I guess he wanted her to see how much he loved her whenever she looked down...
Inewidea.com comments
True love at its finest.
Sad and beautiful.
Sad and beautiful.
The Sun comments
aw how lonley!!!! shows romance is still alive and kicking!!
Nice touch Winston......
What a touching living memento mori.
That is absolutely beautiful!! I agree, romance is still around somewhere! Lol!
Awwwwww how sweet :')
wow. love it.
how sweet , hopefully she's watching down from heaven
That is one of the nicest things ever to do!! awww soo truly lovely!!
What a heart felt gesture. Wonderful sentiment..
brilliant
beautiful! what an amazing thing to do to show someone how much u love them! r.i.p to his wife x what an amazing husband
Now thats true love! How sweet of him
I wish my other half loved me enough for me to plant one oak or even one daffodil, but they don't. Obviously they loved each other immensely and they were lucky, not many people have this true love in their lives.
how lovely!!
that is such a nice thing to do
arghh thats a beautiful way to remember someone you loved so much
Winston your a top bloke, This is True love! People who have to post everything on facebook take note!
beautiful gesture and what a gd looking couple they were :)
What a beautiful tribute! I can picture him going there on a beautiful day to sit and just feel close to his beloved wife. Theirs must have been a wonderful love match!
Am I the only one who feels a slight twinge of guilt to be looking at these pictures? I feel we have somehow intruded on this man's privacy, and what was his own personal gift to his late wife has now become public. It could have remained a secret place for years, had that balloonist not seen it.
What a lucky man to have known a love like this.
My deepest respects Sir.
From the heart.
A lovely tribute. I must admit I did then go and googlemaps Wickwar, South Gloucestershire. And there it is... about a mile north east of the town :)
JUST LUSH....
What a wonderful thing to do.
Perhaps, there is hope for this race. A very touching story.
True Love... how lovely
Nice touch Winston......
What a touching living memento mori.
That is absolutely beautiful!! I agree, romance is still around somewhere! Lol!
Awwwwww how sweet :')
wow. love it.
how sweet , hopefully she's watching down from heaven
That is one of the nicest things ever to do!! awww soo truly lovely!!
What a heart felt gesture. Wonderful sentiment..
brilliant
beautiful! what an amazing thing to do to show someone how much u love them! r.i.p to his wife x what an amazing husband
Now thats true love! How sweet of him
I wish my other half loved me enough for me to plant one oak or even one daffodil, but they don't. Obviously they loved each other immensely and they were lucky, not many people have this true love in their lives.
how lovely!!
that is such a nice thing to do
arghh thats a beautiful way to remember someone you loved so much
Winston your a top bloke, This is True love! People who have to post everything on facebook take note!
beautiful gesture and what a gd looking couple they were :)
What a beautiful tribute! I can picture him going there on a beautiful day to sit and just feel close to his beloved wife. Theirs must have been a wonderful love match!
Am I the only one who feels a slight twinge of guilt to be looking at these pictures? I feel we have somehow intruded on this man's privacy, and what was his own personal gift to his late wife has now become public. It could have remained a secret place for years, had that balloonist not seen it.
What a lucky man to have known a love like this.
My deepest respects Sir.
From the heart.
A lovely tribute. I must admit I did then go and googlemaps Wickwar, South Gloucestershire. And there it is... about a mile north east of the town :)
JUST LUSH....
What a wonderful thing to do.
Perhaps, there is hope for this race. A very touching story.
True Love... how lovely
Twitter - inhabitat.com
SO COOL
a little sunday sweetness
I find this more romantic than Taj Mahal :')
A story that's a little bit special....
Helpless romantic...
planto 6000 arboles en honor a su difunta esposa mira la manera en la que estan plantados los arboles
Check out this beautiful memorial to a farmers wife. 17 years in the making!
to love being in love =)
Wonderful short article about a widow who secretly created a heartshaped meadow for beloved wife.
17 years, 6,000 oak trees, and a whole lotta love.
awwwwwwwwww true love! <3<3<3
A heart-shaped meadow, created by a farmer as a tribute to his late wife, can be seen from the air near Wickwar
Had a little tear reading this
Love this
This is beautiful.
To love sum1 this much
I think we all need a love story today.
Love this! A widower's tribute to his adored wife, in the form of a heart-shaped meadow.
This is so romantic
Lovely, bless him
"Man's heartfelt tree-bute"
x awesomeness!
Love is in the air! The sweetest most romantic thing ever <3
You've probably already seen this but I think it's so lovely :D
so sweet
LOVE
Cazzo che grande!
CUTE!!!
Now THIS is a Love story <3
Love Story. We can never have too many.
pretty sweet, if you ask me.
I found it on google earth too!
so lovely, so HEARTly.
A story that's a little bit special....
What a romantic story.
Heartwarming
Aww!
heart shaped meadow love story :):):)
#seriouslove
love lives
Awwwwwww sniff
So beautiful <3
this is so amazing.
Thats Cool
Acre long heart shows meticulous dedication.
aw so sweet!
aww... something in my eye...
<3strings!
Long Live Love
a little sunday sweetness
I find this more romantic than Taj Mahal :')
A story that's a little bit special....
Helpless romantic...
planto 6000 arboles en honor a su difunta esposa mira la manera en la que estan plantados los arboles
Check out this beautiful memorial to a farmers wife. 17 years in the making!
to love being in love =)
Wonderful short article about a widow who secretly created a heartshaped meadow for beloved wife.
17 years, 6,000 oak trees, and a whole lotta love.
awwwwwwwwww true love! <3<3<3
A heart-shaped meadow, created by a farmer as a tribute to his late wife, can be seen from the air near Wickwar
Had a little tear reading this
Love this
This is beautiful.
To love sum1 this much
I think we all need a love story today.
Love this! A widower's tribute to his adored wife, in the form of a heart-shaped meadow.
This is so romantic
Lovely, bless him
"Man's heartfelt tree-bute"
x awesomeness!
Love is in the air! The sweetest most romantic thing ever <3
You've probably already seen this but I think it's so lovely :D
so sweet
LOVE
Cazzo che grande!
CUTE!!!
Now THIS is a Love story <3
Love Story. We can never have too many.
pretty sweet, if you ask me.
I found it on google earth too!
so lovely, so HEARTly.
A story that's a little bit special....
What a romantic story.
Heartwarming
Aww!
heart shaped meadow love story :):):)
#seriouslove
love lives
Awwwwwww sniff
So beautiful <3
this is so amazing.
Thats Cool
Acre long heart shows meticulous dedication.
aw so sweet!
aww... something in my eye...
<3strings!
Long Live Love
Adventure journal
Awww. Lovely!
Granny net
ahhhhhhhhh. How lovely.
Ahhh, that is lovely and so romantic.
Ahhh, that is lovely and so romantic.
Tweet results for Heart of Oak
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3
TOO SWEET!!!:"3 AWW
I think the oak tree thing is just too sweet!!!
Man'a act of love for wife.
Utterly
Weepy now
Everlasting love!
What a touching story
All you other boys should just quit the game now
cute!x
This is what true love looks like
This story put SUCH a smile on my face
This is the sweetest thing I've ever seen!
AMAZING expression of #love
so cute
This really is true love. Beautiful.
love never dies!
True love defined <3
English oak becomes love letter
Beautiful.love
how cute is this!
TOO SWEET!!!:"3 AWW
I think the oak tree thing is just too sweet!!!
Man'a act of love for wife.
Utterly
Weepy now
Everlasting love!
What a touching story
All you other boys should just quit the game now
cute!x
This is what true love looks like
This story put SUCH a smile on my face
This is the sweetest thing I've ever seen!
AMAZING expression of #love
so cute
This really is true love. Beautiful.
love never dies!
True love defined <3
English oak becomes love letter
Beautiful.love
how cute is this!