TREES
See Also: BUILDING MATERIALS Timber; CHRISTMAS Christmas Trees; MENU
The Great North Wood
The
Great North Wood extended over much of what is now South London.
The Great Storm
During
the Great Storm of 1987 canopies were in full leaf. Therefore, they acted as de facto
sails. Over 15,000,000 were
uprooted. Kew Gardens lost 700 of its
14,000 trees.
Location:
Royal Botanic Gardens, Richmond, TW9 3AQ
See
Also: WEATHER Storms, 1987
Placenames
London
placenames that refer to trees include: Burnt Oak, Honor Oak, Nine Elms, Royal
Oak, and Seven Sisters.
The Salters
Dr
Alfred Salter (1873-1945) was a physician who had trained at Guy s
Hospital. He practised in the slums of
Bermondsey and became a Quaker. In 1922
he was elected to be a M.P.. He and his
wife created a beautification scheme for the district. This included the planting of numerous trees. Ada Salter, the Mayor of Bermondsey (now part
of Southwark) in the 1920s liked trees of heaven which were able to cope with
the pollution.
Location:
23 Greenwich South Street, SE10 8NW
Varieties of Tree
In 2020
there were over 350 varieties of trees in London. Different boroughs have different varieties
because of the tastes of their tree officers.
Their tastes changed with time.
Islington has a disproportionate share of London's caucasian wingnuts.
Elm
Romans
introduced a variety of elm.
Dutch
Elm Disease claimed over a thousand elms in Kensington Gardens. Some survive in the centre of Hyde Park.
One on
Marylebone High Street (probably northern end)
There
are tens of thousands of elm trees in Amsterdam. Efforts to counter Dutch elm disease was the
reason why the disease acquired the Dutch epithet. It came from North America.
Waterpipes
Elm was
used for water pipes.
In the
early 18thC the walls of a 7in. thick elm pipe would a 3in. thick
hole drilled through them. 33 elm trees
could supply 136 yards.
See
Also: WATER SUPPLY
Fig
The
oldest fig tree in London is in the garden of Lambeth Palace.
Location:
Lambeth Palace Road, SE1 7JU
Mulberry
The
U.K.'s oldest mulberry tree is at Charlton House. The grounds of Buckingham Palace contain one
that was planted during King James I's reign.
In 2021
Tower Hamlets endorsed a scheme that would have involved the felling of a group
of 400-year-old mulberry trees. The
proposal was opposed by the East End Preservation Society. The High Court blocked the scheme.
In 2022
there were forty varieties of mulberry tree in Buckingham Palace's garden. The first ones had been planted in the 17thC.
Location:
Buckingham Palace Garden, SW1A 1AA (orange, pink)
Charlton,
Charlton Road, SE7 8RE
Website:
www.greenwichheritage.org/visit/charlton-house
Oak
Turner'
Oak
In the
1770s Mr Turner, a gardener, had gifted an oak to Princess Augusta. It had become known as Tuner's Oak. Very characterful. It had become unwell and was ailing. Its crown was thin. Its leaves were small. Wispy growths had emerged. The storm had lifted it out of the ground and
twisted it partially around before allowing it to drop down. It landed at an angle. A decision was made that it would be felled. However, given its characterful nature a
decision was also made that it would be the last one to go.
Three
years later it was returned to. It was
clearly healthy. It led to a rebirth of
tree management. It came to be
appreciated because of its popularity numerous people had walked close to it
and compacted the soil around it.
Therefore, oxygen and water found it hard to get to the roots. When the tree had been lifted up its root
plate had also been raised and so loosened the soil. It was then realised that nearly every second
tree on the site was suffering to some degree from the same problem. The Gardens secured a machine that aerated
soccer pitches. Once the success of the
new approach was evident, manufacturers developed specialist equipment. The Air Spade proved to be particular
useful. It had created to detect
landmines.
It was
appreciated they should try and work with nature. New techniques were developed for planting
trees. They were planted in square holes
so that their root system spread. When
they planted no compost was put into hole.
This was so that from the start they would actively seek nutrients from
beyond their hole. It was concluded that
stakes gave the trees a false security.
Plane
The
first London plane was bred in the Oxford Botanic Gardens in the 17thC. In 2005 one of its offspring was still extant
in the grounds of Magdalen College Oxford.
Plane
trees have a capacity to withstand high levels of pollution. They are able to take in noxious chemicals,
pass them through themselves, and then place them in their bark, which they
shed. Berkeley Square has some fine
specimens. Holland Park Avenue is a good
example of plane lined street.
D.N.A.
analysis has revealed that the plane is closely related to the lotus, which was
thought to be a water plant. The plants
only obvious similarity is a wax on their leaves.
Townplanners
like plane trees because there lowest branches are too high for people to climb
them.
Location:
Berkeley Square, W1J 5AR (purple, yellow)
Holland
Park Avenue, W11 4UA (orange,
blue)
Willows
The
willows of Chiswick Eyot are used by osiers.
Location:
Chiswick Mall, W4 2PR
The Westminster Tree Trust
The
Westminster Tree Trust was founded by a group of Westminster residents in
1982. Over 2009-22 the organiation
planted over a thousand trees across Fitzrovia and Marylebone.
Location:
4 West Warwick Place, SW1V 2DH
Website:
www.westminstertreetrust.org.uk
Woodland
Epping
Forest
Location:
Epping Forest Visitor Centre, 6 Ranger's Road, Chingford, E4 7QH
Epping
Forest Visitor Centre, Nursery Road, Loughton, IG10 4AF
Hanging
Wood
Hanging
Wood stretched from Charlton to Woolwich Common. Maryon Wilson Park is a residual part of it.
Location:
Thorntree Road, Charlton, SE7 8AE
Website:
www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/directory_record/3778/maryon_wilson_park
Oxleas
Wood
Oxleas
Wood is an ancient deciduous woodland.
Parts of it are 8000-years-old.
Location:
Crown Woods Lane, SE18 3JA
Website:
www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/directory_record/3779/oxleas_woods_castle_wood_and_jack_wood
Petts
Wood
The
Petts family were 15thC shipbuilders. They used what became known as Petts Wood as
a source of timber.
In 1927
the wood was given to the National Trust.
Location:
Chislehurst, BR5 1NZ
Website:
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/petts-wood-and-hawkwood
Sydenham
Hill Wood
The
wife of Matthews the Hairyman died. He
found himself unable to continue living in their home. The Dulwich Estate granted him permission to
live as a hermit in Sydenham Wood. He
became a minor celebrity, who sold beer to his visitors. He was murdered.
Location:
Sydenham Hill, SE26 6LT
Website:
www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/sydenham-hill-wood
Tottenham
Wood
Alexandra
Palace occupies the site of Tottenham Wood.
Wood Green was its neighbour.
Location:
Alexandra Palace Way, Wood Green, N22 7AY
David
Backhouse 2024