Howard Howes’ wife, Janet, died 17 years ago. In the months afterwards, he planted thousands of oak seedlings in a six-acre field adjacent to his farmhouse, leaving a heart-shaped meadow in the center as a homage to her. Janet’s childhood house is visible from the point of the heart.
Andy Collett, 42, a hot air balloon enthusiast, soared above the woods and noticed the heart, capturing it in all its beauty, revealing the hidden heart meadow.
He came up with the concept of building a heart in the clearing of the field after Janet died, Howes, 70, said of his homage. He felt it was a fantastic idea—a stroke of inspiration—and planted thousands of oak trees. They installed a seat in the meadow facing the hill near where she used to reside after it was finished.
He said that he goes down there sometimes simply to relax and think about stuff. It’s a nice and enduring homage to her that will be around for a long time.
Howes has a farm of 112 acres in Wickwar, Gloucestershire. He married Janet in 1962, and she died of heart failure in 1995, at the age of 50.
The hidden heart can only be reached by a pathway that leads up to its tip.
They hired people in particular to do it; there are several thousand trees. They planted enormous oak trees around the border of the heart and then chose to surround it with a hedge. Janet is from Wotton Hill, as indicated by the heart. We put daffodils in the center, which bloom in the spring and look lovely. He go out there now and again and sit on the seat he made, Howes said.
He added that he also flew over it around five years ago.
Collett said of the incredible discovery that he has his own balloon and is quite a frequent flyer, but this was the most beautiful sight he has ever seen from the skies. That was a gorgeous heart concealed from view—one’d never guess it was there. Imagine their love story.
Such a wonderful way to remember his beloved wife.
