Advice with regards to Laburnum Tree

[vickieford85]

hello all,

I am moving house next week and in going in to do a risk assessment on the house the vendors informed us that there was a laburnum tree at the end of the garden and that they are poisonous, I have done a little bit of research however everything I read states it's not harmful.

Does anyone have a laburnum tree? Should I just run a risk assessment or do I get the tree removed?

Thanks in advance

[rickysmiths]

As far as I am aware they are Poisonous. It has big droopy yellow flowers and seed pods. It is the seed pods that are dangerous if they are eaten.

If it is at the end of the garden could you fence off the area? If not Risk assess that you will check the grass evry time you use the garden and remove seed pods, maybe centre the very little ones away from the area and show oder ones the pods and explain to them why they must not be eaten, but to tell you if they notice any on the floor.

I wouldn't immediately get rid of it they are very pretty and after all if I hadn't had them in my gardens along with lots of other so called dangerous plants and learnt to respect them how would I have learnt about them? I am still here to tell the tale!!

It is, I think, important that we teach children as they grow to risk Assess for themselves rater than produce a sterile environment for them which is not true to life.

[vickieford85]

Thank you ever so much, it is very pretty and seem such a shame to get rid, and I am firm believer in teaching children instead of just removing it.
Thanks once again

[rickysmiths]

Glad to help.

[sarah707]

I was told to remove mine - it was one of the conditions of re-registering me when I moved house. However that was many years ago and it may have changed.... you'll have to see what your inspector says.

More recently a local childminder received 'unsatisfactory' for keeping children safe because a pear fell from a tree between her risk assessing in the morning and the children going out in the afternoon - and she was told it was a wasp risk. She had to remove the tree - despite appealing that the children did lots of activities with the fruit :rolleyes:

Good luck with it all :D

[rickysmiths]

I was told to remove mine - it was one of the conditions of re-registering me when I moved house. However that was many years ago and it may have changed.... you'll have to see what your inspector says.

More recently a local childminder received 'unsatisfactory' for keeping children safe because a pear fell from a tree between her risk assessing in the morning and the children going out in the afternoon - and she was told it was a wasp risk. She had to remove the tree - despite appealing that the children did lots of activities with the fruit :rolleyes:

Good luck with it all :D

How rediculous. I would have really objected to this, do these stupid inspectors not live in the real world? Really I would have gone to the top over a judgement of that sort and there is no way I would have removed the tree.

My neighbour has a lovely apple tree that overhangs our garden and we throughly enjoy the apples. I pick up fallen apples. In this country how do we avoid wasps and bees? They are a fact of life and all you can do is minimize the risk. i would never chop a perfectly good tree down to satisfy an Ofsted Inspector. Sorry.

[merry]

More recently a local childminder received 'unsatisfactory' for keeping children safe because a pear fell from a tree between her risk assessing in the morning and the children going out in the afternoon - and she was told it was a wasp risk. She had to remove the tree - despite appealing that the children did lots of activities with the fruit :rolleyes:


Unbelievable :mad: It's no wonder people are giving up in droves, makes me wonder if Ofsted's real aim is to get us all to give up altogether. I have a beautiful cherry tree in my garden, as do several of my mindies, maybe I should report them to social services for exposing their children to such danger :laughing:

:)

[jane5]

I have just read on wikipedia that all parts of the tree are poisonous.

I have one in my front garden which is actually dying and has to be chopped down before it falls on some one :(

[suzyblue]

We should write a book about the stupid things Ofsted insist on and they could have a complimentary copy :D

[blue bear]

My conservatory is a real draw for the bees and wasps, maybe I should take it down!

[sweets]

maybe should ofsted should supply all with rolls of cotton wool to wrap these poor children that we expose to all these terrible dangers to!

DO NOT chop a tree down, just risk assess it, i chopped all my foxgloves down just before my inspection, i told the inspector this and she said what a shame, she said children need to learn about dangers and that she had grown up with a laburnam tree in her garden and they never ate it! lol.

not sure if its right or not but someone told me that a child would have to eat half the tree before it posed any real danger to them!

[mama2three]

Ive got 4 apple trees and a cherry. My fences are also covered in ivy , and I have a very vicious holly tree too! My prereg inspector was perfectly happy that I had RAd them - but I did worry that come my first inspection I would have another inspector with another view ( after hearing how sarah had to remove hers!). Luckily I had another with common sense. Its the inconsistencies that drive us all mad :angry:

[Mookins]

As much as i love childminding, there is no way in this world I would chop down a tree to ensure safety....If theres anything I love more than hildminding that would be my garden and all thats in it...poor old tree...imagine growing up knowing that although you are very pretty to look at you are hanging on a show string cos you are considered poisonous:(


Risk assess risk assess Risk assess....bloomin OFSTED xxxxxx

[Jiorjiina]

I grew up quite happily playing under a whole row of laburnum trees in our garden. Our mother told us as much as she loved us, she wasn't going to chop down perfectly good trees for any reason, and that if we poisoned ourselves it was our own fault.

As long as you keep an eye on things, it should be fine.

[rickysmiths]

My conservatory is a real draw for the bees and wasps, maybe I should take it down!

Oh yes immediately or I'll report you and you can report me and I'll have my house demollished for the same reason. :laughing: :laughing: I've had 3 huge bumble bees through in the last 3 days.

[rickysmiths]

maybe should ofsted should supply all with rolls of cotton wool to wrap these poor children that we expose to all these terrible dangers to!

DO NOT chop a tree down, just risk assess it, i chopped all my foxgloves down just before my inspection, i told the inspector this and she said what a shame, she said children need to learn about dangers and that she had grown up with a laburnam tree in her garden and they never ate it! lol.

not sure if its right or not but someone told me that a child would have to eat half the tree before it posed any real danger to them!

Oh no you can't do that because one of the children is bound to have a severe reaction to the cotton wool.:rolleyes:

[Mookins]

Oh no you can't do that because one of the children is bound to have a severe reaction to the cotton wool.:rolleyes:

:laughing: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

xx