Poetry tree offers chance to leaf a message for Japan

The tree in St Andrew Square Garden is intended to highlight the plight faced by hundreds of thousands of Japanese people still rebuilding their lives following the 8.9-magnitude quake that flattened buildings and triggered a devastating tsunami in March.

More than 18,000 people are estimated to have died in the disaster.

Those visiting the tree will be urged to make a small donation to express their sympathies as a short poem or prose on a scrap of paper to be folded into an origami bird and hung from the tree.

The tree itself, a Magnolia Kobus, is native of northern Japan, the territory that bore the brunt of the havoc.

The fundraising event on Thursday is being run by Essential Edinburgh, the company established to run the city centre Business Improvement District, alongside the Scottish Poetry Library and the Royal Botanic Garden.

Denzil Skinner, chairman of Essential Edinburgh, said: "It is our intention to use the planting of the tree to raise awareness of the garden as a poetry garden, whilst at the same time using the tree's origins in Japan to raise awareness, and funds, for those affected by the Japanese earthquake and tsunami disaster.

"The garden is a tranquil place where people can go to escape the hurly-burly of the city centre, so it is an entirely appropriate setting for an event such as this."

Lilias Fraser, reader development officer at the Scottish Poetry Library, said: "We hope that this event helps launch an annual poetry event centred around the garden and the poetry tree, which will use poetry to raise awareness of issues of importance to the people of Edinburgh."

Members of the public can take part throughout the day with all funds raised being channelled into a pot to help the victims of the disaster.

People will be able to visit the tree planted by staff from the Royal Botanic Garden in the corner of St Andrew Square Gardens closest to Jenners.