Grieving husband planted 6,000 trees in late wife's honor — years later, a photo revealed his secret tribute in the forest
For many, creating something in the memory of loved ones is a way of dealing with grief and honoring their lives. However, a farmer's idea to celebrate his late wife might leave anyone in awe. The grieving man, Winston Howes, planted 6000 oak trees to honor his late wife, Janet. The tribute also goes way beyond just planting the trees. It included a family secret that was revealed when a person on a hot air balloon came across the area and clicked a photo of the place where Howes had planted the trees, per The Guardian.
As per the aerial photograph, also a part of Google Maps of the area, Howes strategically planted thousands of oak trees to create a "heart-shaped meadow." The trees were planted in a clearing in such a way that they make the border of an empty space shaped like a heart. He planted the trees after his wife of 33 years died all of a sudden after suffering from heart failure when she was 50 years old. He planted oak saplings in a 6-acre field on his farm. Moreover, he planted saplings in such a way that their pointed end would direct towards Janet's childhood home.
The meadow cannot be seen from the road, and no one apart from the family knew about it until a hot air balloon passed by the area. "I came up with the idea of creating a heart in the clearing of the field after Janet died," Howes explained. "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 a seat in the field, overlooking the hill near where she used to live." The husband shared that he would 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."
Howes owned a 111-acre (45-hectare) farm in Wickwar, south Gloucestershire, United Kingdom, which was why he decided that planting the trees would be a great way to honor Janet's legacy. According to the American Psychological Association, sadness typically diminishes as time passes, but grieving is vital in overcoming these feelings. The husband's tribute might have helped him grieve. He used the small oak trees next to his farmhouse and created an acre-long heart with a bushy hedge in the months after her death in 1995, per the outlet. The heart was only accessible from the track that led up to its tip. "We got people in especially to do it. There are several thousand trees," Howes revealed. "We planted large oak trees around the edge of the heart, then decided to put a hedge around it, too."
CBS affiliate-WVLT shared a video of the sprawling heart-shaped field Howes created for his wife and what it looked like from different angles up in the air. Many people shared their thoughts on the tribute in the comment section of the video. Peggy Sue Miller Grace wrote, "Very good husband. Wonderful gesture." Julie Rouleau commented, "Oh, I could imagine that area full of pink roses. It's beautiful!" Susan Stachyra remarked, "I guess there are some good men out there."