A conker
is the hard, shiny dark brown nut
of a Horse Chestnut tree.
I've always loved conkers
The way they hang on the tree in their spiky green capsules
and when they ripen,
the gorgeous, shiny, rich brown nut
appears and falls to the ground.
Every part of the conker is beautiful and harmonious,
even the inner capsule.
Some years ago,
I planted a conker and a wonderful horse-chestnut tree
started to grow.
I put it in a huge pot on my balcony
and every year it grew taller and more beautiful.
It grew taller than me and started to touch the top of the balcony.
One year, it gave flowers and I was hoping to get my own conkers.
but they didn't develop.
The following year,
a very late frost killed my tree already covered in fresh leaves.
Maybe one day, I'll plant another conker and watch a new tree grow.
Just to explain a slightly confusing issue:
Conkers come from the Horsechestnut tree Aeseculus hippocastanum
and are inedible.
Chestnuts come from the Sweet Chestnut tree Castanea sativa
and are edible.
***
Extra Note:
Artist, Clare Willcocks
kindly asked me if she may paint a picture of one of my conker photographs
She has done a very good job of it here:
