We recently asked Flickr members to share their favorite photos of magnificent trees, along with the stories behind them. People shared photos and stories of trees that are hundreds of years old, solitary trees, trees throughout all seasons, trees that carry childhood memories and town history, and even trees that they planted themselves. Here are a few of those stories.

“I’ve seen a few trees in the past few years, before the pandemic hit, giant sequoias, huge cedars, colourful maples, etc., but none of them left such a long-lasting impression as this tiny tree at Fairy Lake in Port Renfrew, Vancouver Island.” –f/13 photography

“A favorite place to kayak in Seminole County, Florida. Quiet, cool, and dark with the canopies of trees.” –Kathryn Louise18

“These are trees in my local park. I started to count the number of varieties one morning and gave up! They are varied and diverse and many are over 100 years old. Many are evergreen, but the majority are deciduous and it is wonderful each year to see them come back to life after their dormant period in the Winter. The tree in the foreground had suffered a lightning strike, but still grows on.” –Sue Lockhart Images

“My paternal grandfather and I planted this tree more than 40 years ago on the sidewalk in front of our house. This tree of beautiful yellow flowers in September (Brazilian spring) is our legacy to the ecosystem.” –ER’s Eyes – Our planet is beautiful

“We enjoyed a quiet, “gentle” walk amongst these giants.” –londonexpat

“The remnants of a forest frozen in time, two fossilized camel thorn trees stand isolated in Namibia’s Namib-Naukluft National Park. …Here, the scene resembles a sundial; the foreground tree is the gnomon which casts a shadow onto the white pan or dial below.” –DJOBurton

“I took many snapshots of this tree at Cantigny through the years. Enamored with the wispy plants in the background. Sadly, they have renovated the gardens and this view no longer exists. Happy that I have preserved this memory.” –Cher12861

“Lions on a tree [in] Serengeti, Tanzania.” –davdenic

“A different twist on a frequently photographed scene of the Glencoe Lochan in the Highlands of Scotland. An infrared image (taken in autumn, actually) that really gives a unique wintery, frosty, and delicate appearance of the woodland surrounding the little lochan.” –images@twiston

View the gallery (or digital copse of trees) here.

We hope these magnificent trees inspire you to take a closer look around your neighborhood, in your favorite park, or on your own camera roll, for the story of a tree that you’d like to share. Once you have one or if you’d like to read more stories, join us in the Flickr Social group!