Grieving man plants 6,000 trees in wife’s memory—then a balloon photo reveals his hidden tribute

After the sudden loss of his wife, Winston Howes wanted to do something more than mourn. He wanted to build something living, something lasting.

On his 111-acre farm in Wickwar, South Gloucestershire, Howes began planting oak saplings in a 6-acre field near his home. It started as a quiet tribute to Janet, his wife of 33 years, who had passed away from heart failure at just 50 years old.

He never told anyone what he had planned.

A farmer inspects his fieldCanva

From the road, it looked like just a small forest. But from above, it became clear what he’d done: Winston had planted more than 6,000 oak trees around a meadow shaped like a heart, with its tip pointing directly toward Janet’s childhood home.

"I came up with the idea of creating a heart in the clearing of the field after Janet died," Howes told The Guardian. "I thought it was a great idea – it was a flash of inspiration – and I planted several thousand oak trees."

Farmer planting seedsCanva

The heart wasn’t visible to neighbors or passersby. It sat tucked into the field, hidden except to those who might happen across it by air. That’s exactly what happened years later, when a man in a hot air balloon passed overhead, looked down, and captured a photo that would eventually go viral.

The meadow is also now viewable on Google Maps.

The heart-shaped meadow only viewable from above.Google Maps

Winston included a seat in the center of the heart-shaped clearing.

"Once it was completed, we put a seat in the field, overlooking the hill near where she used to live. I go down there just sometimes to sit and think about things."

He planted a hedge around the heart, too, so the shape would hold its outline as the trees grew over time. The design was so carefully arranged that it was only accessible from a narrow track leading up to the tip of the heart.

"We got people in especially to do it. There are several thousand trees. We planted large oak trees around the edge of the heart, then decided to put a hedge around it, too."

The video of the meadow, shared years later by CBS affiliate WVLT, showed the full scale of Howes’ quiet act of devotion. From above, the shape was unmistakable. A heart of green tucked in the middle of the woods.

In the comment section of the video, people around the world expressed how moved they were by the gesture.

"Very good husband. Wonderful gesture." — Peggy Sue Miller Grace

"Oh, I could imagine that area full of pink roses. It's beautiful!" — Julie Rouleau

"I guess there are some good men out there." — Susan Stachyra

media1.tenor.com

Winston created the tribute in 1995, in the months after Janet’s death. Nearly thirty years later, the trees are still standing. The heart is still there.

And thanks to one unexpected photo from above, so is her story.

This article originally appeared earlier this year.