The inspirational power of trees

Every life begins in a baby form: This beech will grow from a tiny seedling into a majestic tree that can live for hundreds of years. Other species can live for millennia. Because of their longevity, trees symbolize life and growth. In Germany, parents often plant a tree for newborns, typically a fruit tree, sometimes atop the mother's placenta, to accompany the child's journey into adulthood.

In Norse mythology, this sacred tree is the center of the world. It connects the three levels of heaven, earth and the underworld. Its crown is home to the gods and its roots to dragons and snakes. It is evergreen and is in a constant cycle of life and death. This is how Yggdrasil keeps the world in eternal balance.

German Romantic-era painter Caspar David Friedrich created this picture in 1822: the old oak stands tall in the middle of the painting like a monument. Only at second glance does one notice a shepherd leaning against its mighty trunk, gazing at his flock. Like the world tree, the oak connects two worlds, heaven and earth; it symbolizes power and strength and, with its dead crown, also transience.

Vincent van Gogh's series "Flowering Orchards" (1888) conveys pure life. The Dutch painter was so fascinated by the Provence region in the south of France that he settled there. He painted around 190 pictures during that time, mostly landscapes in which he celebrated light and color. He created the famous sunflowers, the golden yellow fields and the many blossoming fruit trees.

A tree stands at the center of original sin: According to the most famous Bible story, Adam and Eve live happily in paradise until a snake tempts Eve to eat a forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge. They are then caught by God and expelled from paradise. On a side note: The original Latin Bible never mentioned apples, as depicted in most paintings, but refers only to the forbidden fruit.

Street artist Banksy brought a heavily pruned tree in London to life by painting green an equally bare white wall behind it. The artwork only lasted a few days — unknown vandals sprayed the green artwork with white paint. The tree itself will soon sprout its own leaves again.

When forests come to life in the spring, it's the best time for "shinrin-yoku" — Japanese for "forest-bathing." It relies on the healing power of trees and brings people into harmony with nature. In Japan, forest medicine is even officially recognized as a form of therapy. Anyone who has ever been for a walk in the woods knows how relaxing and uplifting it can be.

Even if wood is no longer a tree in the forest, it can still be good for people. The warm natural material is increasingly being used to create new living spaces. The Gare Maritime, a former freight station in Brussels, has been converted into a wooden feast for the eyes. As a house within a house, it has become a district in its own right with stores, offices, promenades and gardens.

A huge wooden structure spans the Plaza de la Encarnación in the Spanish city of Seville. Metropol Parasol is the name of the structure, which lights up in spectacular colors at night. Its shape is reminiscent of umbrellas, mushrooms — or trees. At around 150 meters long, 70 meters wide and 26 meters high, Metropol Parasol is one of the largest wooden structures in the world.

Since 2014, two high-rise buildings have towered in Milan. Called "Bosco verticale" — vertical forest — they are planted all over with trees and shrubs. Some balconies resemble small forests and are arranged in such a way that even larger trees can grow up to three stories high. The vertical forest has a positive effect on the urban microclimate and the living environment.

The "Supertrees" of the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore are 25- to 50-meter-high vertical gardens. They collect rainwater, generate solar energy and serve as ventilation ducts for the greenhouses in the park, which has become one of Singapore's most important tourist attractions.

Throughout Germany, Austria and some neighboring countries to the east, 20- to 40-meter-high maypoles are erected at the end of April, often with equally colorful wreaths or other decorations hanging from their decorated tops. The whole community usually helps to erect and decorate the birch or fir trees, often accompanied by beer and brass band music.

Another traditional tree is the Christmas tree, a spruce, silver fir or the popular Nordmann fir. The tradition dates back to 16th-century Europe, but has made its way to many countries around the world. After the holiday season, tens of thousands of Christmas trees have to be disposed of. Some of them end up as treats in the elephant enclosures of local zoos.

Many people are interested in eco-friendly burials. An option in some places is a forest cemetery, where the remains of the dead are buried in the forest floor. Small markers commemorate the deceased so that relatives can find the final resting place. But there are also completely anonymous forest cemeteries. And if a seed lands on a grave somewhere, new life can grow...