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Taxus × media 'Hicksii' is an upright growing female selection of Hybrid yew with long, upwardly ascending, undulating branches holding glossy, dark green, 2-ranked needles. It is well-known for bearing abundant red berries. 'Hicksii' is an easily found plant in the nursery trade and is very popular for use as a hedgerow or topiary subject. After 10 years of growth, a mature specimen will measure 4.5 feet (1.5 m) tall and 3 feet (1 m) wide, an annual growth rate of 4 to 5 inches (10 - 12.5 cm). This cultivar originated as a seedling sourced from Taxus cuspidata 'Nana' selected around 1900 by Henry Hicks, grandson of nursery founder, Henry Hicks and introduced to the nursery trade by Hicks Nurseries, Westbury, New York, USA.

Planted on 22/02/23.

A rare and collectable small, rounded, dense deciduous tree with large, glossy dark green leaves turning to shades of red and orange in the autumn. A hybrid between Quercus pontica and Quercus dentata.

Planted on 22/02/23.

Q. coccinea is a substantial deciduous tree, ultimately to 24m in height, with large leaves, 7.5-15cm long, deeply 7- sometimes 9-lobed, and coarsely toothed at the apex. Leaves are dark green above, paler beneath, both sides shining, becoming scarlet in autumn, the colour long-lasting. Flowers are yellow-green catkins, in spring. Acorns, if produced, to 2.5cm long and nearly as wide, partly enclosed in a deep, thin-edged cup.

Planted on 22/02/23.

The narrowest Carpinus betulus cultivar. Remains considerably narrower than 'Fastigiata'. At a height of 10 m the tree is only 3 m wide. This cultivar is often grown on a standard tree but there are specimens that branch out from the ground up. Young twigs are grey: older branches and the trunk are dark grey and remarkably smooth. The leaves are a fresh colour of green in the spring and retain that colour throughout the summer. The leaf has a sharply double serrated edge and the leaf top tapers to a point. The whole tree turns colour to golden yellow in the autumn. Since 'Frans Fontaine' only bears male flowers, the tree does not produce any fruit. Root growth is relatively close to the surface. The rotted leaves are good soil improvers. 'Frans Fontaine' is a worthy avenue and street tree.

Planted on 22/02/23.

'Rohanii' is a slow-growing, deciduous tree with an upright, branching habit. The oak-like leaves with shallow, rounded teeth and wavy margins emerge bronze-purple in spring maturing to dark green, purple and shades of brown in summer before turning a golden orange-brown in autumn. Inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers are followed by brown fruits in autumn.

Planted on 22/02/23.

A spreading deciduous shrub to 3m, with narrowly ovate leaves turning yellow or red in autumn, and panicles of small yellow flowers followed by 4-lobed red fruits which split to reveal orange seeds.

Planted on 22/02/23.

Q. palustris is a strong-growing large deciduous tree with a dense, slightly pendulous crown. Deeply lobed eaves to 15cm, with whisker-tipped teeth, turn reddish-brown or bright crimson in autumn.

Planted on 22/02/23.

A weeping, deciduous tree, to 15m tall and wide, with vigorous arching branches terminating in golden-yellow branchlets. Young yellow-green, lanceolate leaves mature to a glossy green and catkins containing both male and female flowers, or occasionally all male or all female.

Planted on 22/02/23.

A small deciduous tree of 10m after 20 years The narrow, dark green leaves typically have deep, pointed lobes and have striking creamy white margins. The acorns are up to 4cm long, and the cups covered in shaggy scales.

Planted on 22/02/23.

Large, vigorous deciduous tree reaching 30m in height, with a broad, spreading crown. Leaves broadly elliptic, yellow-green in spring, rich golden copper to russet-brown in autumn. Small, green flowers in early spring, are followed by bristly fruits (nuts).

Planted on 22/02/23.

Large, deciduous tree with a broad, open crown. Ferny dark green leaves are variable, mostly long and narrow, cut deeply into several pairs of pointed lobes and turning orange-brown in autumn. Flowers small, green, followed by bristly fruits (nuts).

A medium-sized deciduous tree of symmetrical, conical habit, with slightly lobed broadly-ovate leaves. Pendulous yellow catkins to 8cm in length. Nuts held within a deeply fringed husk.

This was developed in Finland as part of their willows for biofuels program to reduce their reliance on petroleum. A rather stunning large ornamental willow, Salix 'Aquatica Gigantea' was developed to be ‘extra’. The upright tree grows to 50 ft (15.2 m) if not coppiced; opulent pink to silver male catkins grow to 2” (5.08 cm) long; and its leaves grow to 10 in (25.4 cm) long. A wonderful biomass willow for coarse basketry, biofuels and cut flowers. It needs to be coppiced to encourage rod growth. It is also a great variety to use to build living fences, and large garden structures. 'Aquatica Gigantea Korso’ enjoys damp feet, loves the sun, and will tolerate most soils.

Planted on 03/01/2023.

Ascending, fast-growing tree with a closed spherical crown that becomes ovoid later. The eventual height is approx. 12 m and the tree becomes 4 to 5 m broad. The trunk and branches grow vertically: the smooth trunk is light grey. Young twigs are brown and bear many lenticels. It is distinguished from the species by the grey-green colour of the imparipinnate leaves that turn yellowish-red in the autumn. The small fragrant flowers appear in large umbels. The numerous orange-red fruits appear very early, in July and August. The birds are very keen on them. 'Sheerwater Seedling' grows best on sandy soil that is not too moist and in a sunny site.

S. aucuparia is an upright deciduous tree with pinnate leaves turning yellow in autumn, and flat clusters of white flowers in late spring, followed by orange-red berries in early autumn.

Planted on 03/01/2023.

A medium-sized deciduous tree of spreading habit, with ovate leaves turning yellow in autumn. Small, fragrant white flowers in drooping racemes to 20cm in length. Berries small, black.

Planted on 03/01/2023.

F. alnus is a bushy deciduous shrub with glossy rounded to ovate leaves which turn yellow or red in autumn, and clusters of small flowers in late spring and early summer, followed by bright red berries which ripen to black.

Keswick Codlin pre-dates the classic Victorian period of English apples. According to Victorian pomologist Robert Hogg writing later in the 19th century, it was first found growing as a seedling tree in a rubbish heap at Gleaston Castle near Ulverston at the southern tip of the English Lake District, in the 1790s. A local nurseryman from the nearby town of Keswick, John Sander, propagated it and helped establish it. Keswick Codlin rapidly established itself as a very early season culinary apple with a good juicy acidic flavour. It readily cooks down to a sweet puree. Keswick Codlin continues to be a popular garden variety to this day. Its success rests on two factors. Firstly its excellent flavour, early in the season when there is not much else about. Secondly, it is one of the more foolproof apple trees for the gardener, readily succeeding in damp climates with short growing seasons, and a reliable and usually heavy cropper.

Planted on 03/01/2023.

'Red Sentinel' is a medium-sized deciduous tree with single white flowers 3cm in width, followed by clusters of cherry-like, glossy, deep red fruits 2.5cm in width, which persist well into winter.

Planted on 03/01/2023.

A fast-growing deciduous tree to 40m. It has large asymmetric heart-shaped leaves with slightly toothed edges and these are dark green above, pale green and downy below. The flowers are sweetly fragrant in summer and cream in colour, though barely visible. The young bare stems are red-bronze in winter.

Planted on 03/01/2023.

'Aurora' is a vigorous deciduous tree to 15m tall, with broadly ovate leaves to 15cm long, heavily marbled and splashed with cream, white and pink, especially in spring and summer.

A large deciduous tree developing a fluted grey trunk. Leaves 5-8cm long, ovate, conspicuously ribbed, turning yellow in autumn. Catkins open in spring, followed by hop-like fruiting catkins to 8cm. Good for woodland settings.

Narrowly conical, deciduous tree eventually reaching about 8m tall and 4m wide, with broad mid-green leaves, suffused golden-yellow and crowded along the branches. Clusters of tiny red flowers in early spring are followed by green winged fruits in late spring.

Planted on 03/01/2023.

A broad rounded tree of moderate growth rate will grow 60-80' in height. Spring foliage is an attractive reddish; however, as it matures it fades to a brownish-red. Acorns are featured individually or clustered on slender stalks. A durable performer in the landscape. Its timber has long been a favorite for building ships and homes in Europe.

Planted on 03/01/2023.

Named after the laxative effects its berries induce when eaten, purging buckthorn is a small, spiny tree native to England and Wales and throughout Europe. Mature trees can grow to a height of 10m, with grey-brown bark and spiny branches. The leaf buds are conical and black-brown in colour, and form on long stalks.

Planted on 03/01/2023.

Malus toringo 'Scarlett' is a feature-packed new introduction that has already received the RHS Award of Garden Merit. In spring, deep pink flowers create a dramatic display. Glossy lobed foliage emerges a rich purple, gradually transitioning to green over the course of summer and then picking up hints of red, orange and yellow in autumn. In autumn and winter, small dark burgundy crab apples adorn the branches. With arching branches, Malus toringo 'Scarlett' is a small tree with a spreading habit and will reach 2.5 metres height and 3 metres spread in 20 years. This Pink Flowering Crab Apple variety grows well in either in full sun or partial shade and preferably in moist, well drained soil.

Planted on 03/01/2023.

Corylus maxima is an attractive and useful green-leafed shrub or small tree, suitable for using in hedges. It bears pendulous, pale yellow catkins in spring, followed by a good crop of large edible nuts, or filberts, with a good flavour. There are many cultivars to choose from, including popular variety ‘Kentish Cob’. Grow Corylus maxima in moist but well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. It’s best to grow at least two cultivars, in order to maximise the plants’ fruiting potential.

Planted on 03/01/2023.

P. communis is a large, columnar, occasionally thorny, deciduous tree with glossy, dark green leaves. Clusters of white flowers are produced in mid-spring, followed by edible, pear-shaped to spherical, green to yellow fruit up to 10cm long.

Decimated by Dutch elm disease, the sweeping and majestic wych elm is a much rarer sight these days. Its loss goes hand-in-hand with the decline of the elusive white-letter hairstreak butterfly, whose caterpillars rely on elm leaves. Trees can grow to a height of 30m. The bark is smooth and grey when young, becoming grey-brown and fissured after 20 years. Twigs are dark grey and covered in coarse hairs, and leaf buds are hairy, purple-black and squat in shape.

Planted on 03/08/2023.

A true springtime stunner, it’s not so long ago that you could find wild-service fruit at a market. These days it’s rare and hard to find but it’s still a favourite with wildlife like the wood pigeon, whose gut softens its seeds for propagation. This deciduous broadleaf tree can reach 25m when mature. The bark is brown and patterned with cracked, square plates, and the twigs are slender, shiny, grey-brown and straight.

Planted on 03/08/2023.

Trembling, fluttering and shimmering in the slightest breeze. The rippling leaves of this beautiful tree give it its name: quaking aspen. Also known as quaking aspen, this is a beautiful tree with shimmering foliage. Mature trees grow to 25m. Older trees may be covered with lichen, which gives the trunk a black appearance, and the bark is grey and often pitted with diamond-shaped pores, called lenticels. The uppermost branches are sometimes bent over horizontally. Twigs are dark brown, slender and shiny.

Planted on 03/08/2023.

The ruling majesty of the woods, the wise old English oak holds a special place in our culture, history, and hearts. It supports more life than any other native tree species in the UK, even its fallen leaves support biodiversity. A large, deciduous tree growing up to 20–40m tall. Also known as common oak, this species grows and matures to form a broad and spreading crown with sturdy branches beneath.

Charming, sturdy, pollinator-magnet. Not only does the small-leaved lime’s blossom produce a sweet scent and pleasantly minty honey, its leaves support the caterpillars of moths such as the lime hawk, peppered and vapourer. This large deciduous tree can grow to more than 20m high. Its bark is grey-brown and smooth and develops flaky plates with age. The twigs are brown-red in the shade, but become shiny in sunlight. Small-leaved lime may produce suckers from the base of the tree.

Planted on 03/08/2023.

Thickly branching columnar oak with strongly ascending branches. It attains a height of 15 - 20 m, a breadth of 3 - 4 m. The trunk produces branches mainly low down and older specimens often show a somewhat pendulous crown. Usually 'Fastigiata' is bred from seed, which leads to the production of variable forms. Currently the trees are also bred vegetatively. The variable leaves are obovate to elongated oval and a little larger than those of the species. 'Fastigiata' stands up well to hard surfaces, making it an ideal tree for narrow avenues and streets.

A narrowly-conical small tree, to around 6m tall, with glossy, dark green, spiny leaves. Inconspicuous white flowers are followed by bright red fruits, even on young plants. Good for hedging and topiary.

Planted on 03/08/2023.

A fastigiate form of the common beech, this tree offers red foliage in the spring that turns a beautiful deep purple in the summer and then brown in the autumn. Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Purple' is a beautiful neatly shaped slender tree that grows to just 10 x 3 metres in 20 years, making it ideal for many gardens, whether as a focal point or for a formal avenue. 'Dawyck Purple' is named after the Dawyck Botanic Garden, although is more commonly known as Purple Fastigiate. This purple upright beech tree will tolerate most soils and exposed conditions, but avoid wet positions. Plant in full sun for the very best colour.

Planted on 03/08/2023.

A fastigiate form of the common beech, this tree offers red foliage in the spring that turns a beautiful deep purple in the summer and then brown in the autumn. Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Purple' is a beautiful neatly shaped slender tree that grows to just 10 x 3 metres in 20 years, making it ideal for many gardens, whether as a focal point or for a formal avenue. 'Dawyck Purple' is named after the Dawyck Botanic Garden, although is more commonly known as Purple Fastigiate. This purple upright beech tree will tolerate most soils and exposed conditions, but avoid wet positions. Plant in full sun for the very best colour. Malus 'Royal Beauty' lives up to it's name when the beautiful deep red/purple flowers emerge in April-May and decorate the gracefully weeping branches. The flowers are followed by small, dark-purple fruits in autumn. Although not suited to culinary uses, the fruits make a good display in the winter and are popular with a variety of wildlife. That's not all, as this purple weeping crab apple offers year round interest. Bursting into life with bronze/purple foliage in spring, the leaves turn a deep red/plum colour with a hint of green in the late summer and then adopt yellow and bronze tones in the autumn.

Planted on 03/08/2023.

Small tree with a rounded crown. The branches grow outwards, later becoming somewhat pendulous. The twigs and bark are hairless and dark brown. The green leaves emerge bronze coloured and have red-tinted stems. The flowers, approx. 4 cm in size, grow in bundles of 4 to 8 together and are single. In the bud the flowers are pink but they turn white when open. 'Red Sentinel' produces numerous, spherical, bright red fruits with a diameter of approx. 2.8 cm: they remain on the tree for a long time. Can be used in parks, public gardens and gardens. Can be used as a street tree only in stretches of greenery. Stands up well to understorey. Allowing a solitary planted shrub to grow into a multi-trunked tree can produce an attractive effect. 'Red Sentinel' requires a nutritious, not too dry soil and is somewhat sensitive to scab.

Planted on 03/08/2023.

An ornamental apple tree with a broad, horizontal, later pendulous manner of growth and a height of 4 - 5 m. The leaves are broad, covered with felt-like hair and light green in colour. In early May white flowers appear that are remarkably pink when in bud. The flowers are single. The short-stemmed fruits are glossy golden yellow and have a diameter of 2 - 3 cm. They remain only a short time on the tree. 'Butterball' is used in gardens and parks and makes heavy demands on the soil as regards moisture supply and fertility. 'Butterball' is resistant to mildew but sensitive to scab. The tree is sensitive to sea wind. Winter hardiness zone: 5.

Soft on the outside. Tough on the inside. On a global scale, this tree, with its fuzzy leaf stalks, shoots and twigs, grows further north than any other broadleaf species. Mature trees can reach 30m in height, forming a light canopy with elegant, drooping branches. Downy birch is more upright than silver birch and the bark is browner in colour with more obvious horizontal grooves and lacking the papery quality of the silver birch.

A variable species with peeling, usually copper-brown or pinkish bark and dark green leaves up to 12cm long. In early spring it produces long, yellow-brown male catkins.

Commonly known as the Snow Pear, this form of Pyrus sets itself apart from the rest with its main point of difference being the slightly glaucous foliage which gives the tree a soft, silvery green appearance when in leaf. As well as this, come Autumn, as with other forms of Pyrus, the foliage puts on a vibrant show of bright red colour. The flowers are small and white and may be followed by small fruits which have a mild, sour taste. This tree has a well-balanced structure and is easy to manage having a straight trunk. The grey-green leaf colour lends itself well to adding contrast and interest amongst other plants.

A phoenix from the ashes, the field elm has been able to recover from the decimation of Dutch elm disease thanks to its ability to grow easily. However, it’s still under threat, along with the wildlife that relies on it. Mature trees grow to 30m. The bark is grey-brown, often with crossing ridges. The twigs are brown and occasionally have corky 'wings' or ridges. Field elm is an ancient introduction to the UK and a number of distinct forms are known, English elm being one of them.

Thickly branching columnar oak with strongly ascending branches. It attains a height of 15 - 20 m, a breadth of 3 - 4 m. The trunk produces branches mainly low down and older specimens often show a somewhat pendulous crown. Usually 'Fastigiata' is bred from seed, which leads to the production of variable forms. Currently the trees are also bred vegetatively so that fixed-shape cultivars can be marketed. One of these is 'Fastigiate Koster' with a guaranteed narrow columnar shape. The variable leaves are obovate to elongated oval and a little larger than those of the species. 'Fastigiata' stands up well to hard surfaces, making it an ideal tree for narrow avenues and streets. Because of its variable manner of growth, 'Fastigiata' is becoming steadily less common.

Forms a narrow columnar crown that later broadens out especially on the underside. Has a straight trunk and steeply ascending branches. The trunk has many tubercles. The green leaves are diamond-shaped to broad triangular. The emerge brownish-green, are an even colour of green in the summer and yellowish-green in the autumn. The tree produces flowers in the form of male catkins. 'Italica' is suitable for wind breaks, parks and public gardens and as a solitary in urban areas. It has many problems with broken branches and crown and is thus unsuitable as an avenue and street tree. The tree is little sensitive to bacterial canker, moderately sensitive to rust and very sensitive to leaf spot disease. Prefers nutritious moist soils and is somewhat sensitive to dry conditions. 'Italica' resists (sea) wind but is sensitive to late winter frost. Despite the fact that it is a relatively narrow tree, Populus nigra 'Italica' requires plenty of room, both above and below ground. The tree is extensively used in windbreaks.

Bane of witches, diviner of the future and producer of jam, rowan is an elegant tree with a mystical history. Its leaves and berries are a favourite for wildlife in woods and towns alike. Mature trees can grow to 15m in height and can live for up to 200 years. The bark is smooth and silvery grey, and leaf buds are purple and hairy.

'Majestica' is a medium-sized deciduous tree with broad elliptic leaves to 15cm in length, glossy dark green above, whitish beneath and turning yellow in autumn. Clusters of creamy-white flowers in late spring are followed by red berries 12mm in length.

Average-sized tree, sometimes mature specimen of more than 20 m can be found. Little used species with a straight, grey trunk and strongly branching out. It is a strong grower with an open crown. The leaf is similar to A. incana, but has 8 to 14 pairs of veins. It is also bigger than that of A. incana, being 10 - 15 cm long and 12 cm across. A striking feature is that the leaf margin is slightly curved inwards. The topside of the leaf is glossy dark green, the underside is bluish-green. The catkins appear as soon as the end of January, they are 15 cm long and purple red. The strobiles appear as soon as the end of summer and decorate the tree into winter. The soil requirements are few, although surfacing is less well tolerated.

The ‘Arnoldiana’ makes the most wonderful specimen tree and it is also great for attracting wildlife to the garden. The tree grows to be of medium size, with a rounded habit, and it starts off in spring with shallowly lobed leaves that are dark green and cover the branches. The leaves are closely followed by the late spring flowers and these are white with attractive and colourful stamens. The spring flowers later mature to large and glossy red fruits: these are edible and can be picked, or they can be left for the birds to enjoy. A fantastic tree with a lot to offer.

Pollution fighter, autumn stunner, syrup maker. The field maple is a sturdy broadleaf which supports caterpillars, aphids, and all their predators, all while resisting air pollution. The bark is light brown and flaky, and twigs are slender and brown and develop a corky bark with age. Small, grey leaf buds grow on long stems. Field maples can grow to 20m and live for up to 350 years.

Planted on 01/02/2023.

Fiery, fast and spiked, the red oak is a fast-growing tree native to North America. It is often planted as an ornamental tree for its flaming autumn colour. Although it isn’t as valuable to wildlife as our native oaks, it’s popular with nesting birds and pollinators. Red oak is a deciduous broadleaf tree which can grow to 25m and develops a rounded crown. The bark is smooth and silver-grey when young, and develops warts or ridges with age. Twigs are straight, slender and dark brown.

Planted on 01/02/2023.

A medium-sized tree eventually to 15m. The leaves open red-purple with an irregular pink margin in spring, becoming purple with pale pink-cream by summer. In autumn they become dark gold before falling.

Planted on 01/02/2023.

Biflora, also known as the Glastonbury Thorn, is a medium sized shrub or small tree produces leaves earlier than normal and occasionally an early crop of white flowers in winter, but these are smaller than those that flower in spring, produces dark red fruits. Legend has it that this tree is linked to Saint Joseph of Arimathea, who when reaching Glastonbury in the 1st Century AD to be the first to introduce Christianity, struck his holy staff of hawthorn into the ground and it miraculously sprouted. Since the 17th Century, when James Montague, the Bishop of Bath & Wells sent a budded branch of a Glastonbury Thorn to Queen Anne, King James I’s consort, a spray of flowers from a Glastonbury Thorn has been sent to the reigning Queen every Christmas.

Planted on 01/02/2023.

With its evergreen leaves, the holm oak is a bold splash of colour in the winter months. It was first introduced in the 1500s and, though it’s not as adapted as our native oaks, it supports plenty of our wildlife. Holm oak is an evergreen broadleaf tree that can grow to 20m and develop a huge, rounded crown. The bark is black and finely cracked, and twigs are slender and covered with light brown felt-like hairs.

Planted on 01/02/2023.

An ornamental, spreading beech with undulating upwardly growing branches. From these, floppy limbs droop down vertically, sometimes almost touching the ground. 'Pendula' can attain a height of 20 - 25 m. In the first years the growth rate is somewhat slow, later it becomes stronger. The soft bark is smooth and grey. The oval to ovate leaves are shiny dark green and 4 - 10 cm in size, in autumn they turn to yellow. Inflorescence with small, inconspicuous flower catkins that are followed by 1 - 2 cm large nuts in a bristled capsule. 'Pendula' is a graceful, specimen tree that with age displays an impressive appearance. It prospers in soil that is not too wet, well-drained and rich in humus content. Moderate wind resistance.

Planted on 01/02/2023.

T. tomentosa is a large, deciduous tree of variable habit but usually broadly pyramidal reaching to 25m high. Erect branches are often pendent at their tips with white-felted shoots. Rounded leaves 5-13cm long are sharply-toothed, dark green above and covered in a silvery-white felt beneath, turning yellow in the autumn. Fragrant, small, creamy-white flowers are borne in late summer.

Planted on 01/02/2023.

A pretender to the throne, the Turkey oak was introduced to the UK in the 1700s and is now impacting our native oak populations. It’s less valuable to wildlife, but much faster growing and a host of the knopper oak gall wasp. Turkey oak is a deciduous broadleaf tree which can grow to 30m. It was introduced to the UK as an ornamental tree in the 18th century. The bark is dark grey, maturing with various plates and deep fissures. On older trees, the trunk fissures are often streaked with orange near the base.

Planted on 01/02/2023.

Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck' is a slender, pyramidal tree with straight upright branches with upright twigs. The branching starts low on the trunk. It is very shape-tied and can attain a height of 20 - 25 m and a width of circa 3 m. The soft bark is smooth and has a grey colour. The oval to ovate leaves are shiny dark green and can become 4 - 10 cm. 'Dawyck' flowers with small, inconspicuous flowers and less generously than F. sylvatica. The inflorescence is followed by 10 - 20 mm large nuts, only at a mature age does the tree bear abundantly. 'Dawyck' can be used as a solitary, avenue and park tree and prefers a well-drained, not too wet soil of high humus content. Moderately wind-resistant.

Planted on 01/02/2023.

Deep purple, distinctive, dramatic. Loved by some but loathed by others. You’ll often find this striking tree planted in landscape-scale gardens as a specimen tree. Copper beech, also known as purple beech, is a cultivated form of common beech (although copper-coloured beech trees are also sometimes found in nature). It grows to a height of more than 40m. The bark is smooth, thin and grey, often with slight horizontal etchings. Twigs are slender and grey but not straight – their shape resembles a zig-zag. Torpedo-shaped leaf buds are coppery and up to 2cm in length, with a distinctive criss-cross pattern.

Planted on 02/07/2023.

Swamp-dweller, water-lover. The wood of this tough tree doesn’t rot when waterlogged, instead turning stronger and harder. Conical in shape, mature trees can reach a height of around 28m and live to approximately 60 years. The bark is dark and fissured and is often covered in lichen. Twigs have a light brown, spotted stem which turns red towards the top. Young twigs are sticky to touch.

Planted on 02/07/2023.

Grows from shrub into a graceful, average-sized tree. The growth is slow and it takes very long before it gets a real tree shape. Therefore it is less suitable for avenues and streets. The alternate leaf remains smaller than of the species, it is deeply cut and the entire lobes are linear. In autumn it remains long on the tree. The stalked buds and the young twigs are sticky to the touch (glutinosa = sticky). Female flowers are inconspicuous, male flowers come in brown yellow 7 cm long catkins. The strobiles appear from September onward and remain long on the tree. Besides a decorative leaf, the tree also has a fine habit with drooping twigs. The tree roots strongly with a branching main root. Poor tolerance to hard surfaces.

Planted on 02/07/2023.

Beautiful blossom and a bounty of bright red fruits. Wild cherry , one of the prettiest native trees, is relished by gardeners and wildlife. Mature trees can grow to 30m and live for up to 60 years. The shiny bark is a deep reddish-brown with prominent cream-coloured horizontal lines called lenticels. The second part of its botanical name – avium – refers to birds which play a role in the tree’s propagation by eating the cherries and dispersing the seed. In Scotland, cherry is sometimes referred to as ‘gean’.

Imposing, elegant, rare. The black poplar was once a staple of Britain’s landscape but these days, the trees are few and far between. Mature trees grow to 30m and can live for 200 years. The bark is dark brown but often appears black, and is thick with numerous fissures and burrs. Twigs are lumpy and brown in colour.

Alnus incana, also known as the Grey Alder, is a tough member of the Alder family that was introduced from Europe in the 1780’s. The Grey Alder is of broadly pyramidal form at maturity, with fairly small oval leaves that are pointed, which readily distinguishes Alnus incana from that of glutinosa. Catkins are produced at the end of winter, just before the spring kicks into life; they are profuse and pink/yellow in colour. The bark is smooth and grey. Alnus in general is a very tough Genus of tree and the Grey Alder is no exception to this, a tough contender which is capable of tolerating and thriving in cold, wet soils and extremely exposed situations. It is a stalwart and reliable tree which will thrive on all soils and does especially well on calcareous sites. Interestingly, like other Alder, Alnus incana are actually capable of fixing nitrogen in the soil, which improves the nutrient content for the future.

Gnarled and mighty, the hornbeam is as tough as they come. It’s beautiful, useful, and its year-round leaf cover makes it a winter haven for wildlife. Common hornbeam is a deciduous, broadleaf tree which has pale grey bark with vertical markings, and sometimes a short, twisted trunk which develops ridges with age. The twigs are brown-grey and slightly hairy and the leaf buds are similar to beech, only shorter and slightly curved at the tips. Mature trees can reach a height of 30m and live for more than 300 years.

Planted on 02/07/2023.

Malus tschonoskii is a Japanese ornamental crab-apple species. It features pale pink blossom which opens to pure white in spring, followed by small dull green/red fruitlets. The main autumn attraction is not the blossom or the fruitlets, but the leaves, which are larger than is usual for crab-apples. Over summer the undersides of the leaves have an unusual grey-green colour (similar to some Whitebeams). In autumn they are a stunning fiery orange colours of the leaves - this is one of the best crab-apples for autumn colour. The tree grows with a strongly conical or pyramidal shape. Malus tschonoskii is a species of crab apple native to Japan. It was brought to western attention at the end of the 19th century, when the influential collector Charles Sargent brought seeds back to the Arnold Arboretum in the USA. It is sometimes known as the Chonosuki crab.

Planted on 02/07/2023.

It is a medium sized, deciduous tree which can reach up to 15m in height and grows with an conical open shape and an even, symmetrical crown. Ideally it is planted as a park or woodland tree but it can also be used in urban environments given the right conditions. In Spring, the magnificence of this tree shows when it is laden with the brilliant double white flowers, hanging in pendulous clusters from the branches. The leaves emerge with a bronze tinge to them, becoming mid green and elliptical as they mature. In Autumn they turn vibrant shades of reds, oranges and yellows. Plena is a sterile variety and so has no fruit unlike Prunus avium. Like most varieties of ornamental cherry, Prunus avium Plena grows best in a position with full sun and a neutral-alkaline, free draining soil (not acidic). They don’t like to get their feet wet and so will not tolerate waterlogged or wet ground.

Planted on 02/07/2023.