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June 6 th Champion Tree Walk at Wrest Park

Originally planned for April 27 th and postponed because of poor weather, on the evening of

June 6 th , a group of 19 members and English Heritage staff joined David Alderman (Director

of the Tree Register) for a walk within the grounds to learn about some of the many

fascinating trees

A Common Lime, one of 26 Champion Trees at Wrest Park

David told us that there are 26 of Bedfordshire’s Champion Trees at Wrest Park, two of

these being British Champions, which are either the tallest or one having the widest girth.

Before leaving the car park we saw a UK champion magnolia (Magnolia denudata) which

was introduced from China around 1850. Only a Swiss specimen is larger in Europe. We

learned that some of the very large Yew trees were originally planted as hedges around 300

years ago and we saw the tallest broad-leafed trees in Bedfordshire – the lime trees by the

Mythraic Glade planted in the late 1700s. Not too far from the Chinese Pavilion, we were

shown a Common Lime which is one of the 70 British trees chosen for the Queen’s Green

Canopy project for the Platinum Jubilee – a very special tree. Later we admired a huge Giant

Sequoia which has a girth of 9m and has been hit by lightning on 3 separate occasions. This

 

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tree was originally moved inside the house each winter and used as the Christmas tree until

it became too large to move. It is now the tallest conifer at Wrest Park.

David gave us a great deal of information and we all learned a great deal of which the above

is merely a flavour. We are all grateful to David and the BNHS organisers of the walk.

Marion Hession

Done