Tree has family roots
RE “A Colossal but Happy Mistake” [July 28]: It was an interesting article, but I want to clarify that Dorothy Gillis Loomis, my husband’s late grandmother, said that she had selected the trees to be planted in 1923-24 and was well aware that they were Moreton Bay fig trees.
Her father, Robert Conran Gillis who owned and subdivided the land for La Mesa Drive and surrounding streets, asked his daughter, an avid amateur gardener all her life, to select and supervise the planting of the street trees. She chose other trees for other streets.
She lived on La Mesa Drive for a number of years and in her later life lived in Pacific Palisades.
She often commented that she loved the way the trees had formed a leafy corridor for La Mesa Drive but lamented their tendency to rip up sidewalks, plumbing and streets.
She also regretted their neglect so she would be delighted to know that they are now being taken care of.
JAN LOOMIS
Poway
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