The Great Trees of London project asks for your nominations to pick the capital's favourite 20 trees. Vote now and you could win an urban tree dedicated to you or someone close to you.
Nominations close on 1 September 2008. The winning trees will be announced in October.
http://greattrees.treesforcities.org/
G x
PS My vote went to the Cedar of Lebanon in Forty Hall. :)
The 'London Plaine' (spelling?) is quite something.....stay away if you're asthmatic, but along the 'walk' through Hyde park it's quite a sight.
Just to be clear it's your favourite specific tree, singular, in this particular project, not species. But I agree with Kenkew that London Planes are wonderful. :)
G x
I've not been to the site you mentioned as I'm not a tree 'expert', just a tree lover, however, all trees are special, and like animals, they have their own unique life style.
Not to go into the intricate details of them but just to mention their very special way of producing and spreading seed would be enough to make one gasp in awe. (I'm currently writing a story for children based on trees and their capability of capturing words on the wind to spread 'gossip' around the world....but that's another story!)
Kew.
Ooh how exciting. I've just heard that they will be announcing the winning Great Trees and holding a celebratory event on 18 November and I've been invited to attend. Details are to follow but hopefully I'll be able to take a friend. Wine and canapes are provided - form an orderly queue! ;D
G x
Well, I went to the event tonight and I'm delighted to say that my nomination made the top 20. ;D
The press release and pictures of the winning trees should be available on the website tomorrow.
http://greattrees.treesforcities.org/
Quite frankly I'm surprised at the lack of interest in this thread. Treesforcities is a very worthy cause in my book and I'll carry on promoting it regardless.
G x
I would have voted for 'The London Plane' in general. Particularly, the giant ones on Lincoln's Inn Fields, or the majestic row of them down the western edge of Hackney Downs, since I used to live beside them.
(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/139/368302327_a4a197b712.jpg)
I did look at this thread but couldn't name an *individual* tree as a favourite. My *least* favourite is the 17 metre (approx) eucalyptus in the neighbour's garden, which is pushing the garden wall over at my old flat, and shading the entire garden from either rain or sun, leeching all the moisture from the soil, and dropping apparently non-bio-degradable leaves all year round. But that's another story. :D
Well Helen you will be pleased to hear that at least one 'London Plane' made it into the top 20 including one in Regents Park College where the event was held this evening. I agree they do a magnificent job in improving the environment in cities. :)
Sorry to hear about your problems with the Eucalyptus. :(
G x
I'm a fan of gingko in cities too - though most of the ones I can think of are quite young, for example some near Embankment tube station. Always gives me a kick to think of dinosaurs browsing on them in the urban setting... :)
Also, limes, horse chestnut, beech - anything that makes a big tree statement along the roads and the parks. The cherry trees of Holland Park Avenue area are pretty amazing when they're all in flower. Lots of candidates for tree groupings, that leap to mind...
The Ginkgo/Ginko/Gingko has been one of my fav's for quite some time, not just the Dino-lunch thing but also the unique leaf shape and the autumn colour (also love to see so many different spellings in different 'tree' books. I think Ginkgo is the correct one - but could be wrong.)
Put one in my garden a couple of years ago & growing well.
Never noticed the ones on the Embankment, but then I havn't lived in London for 15+ years & when I'm there trees aint particularly on my list of things to see.
Bah, I said Embankment, I meant Temple, the next one eastwards. They were just saplings basically when I first saw them, wonder how big they are now, 4 or 5 years later? I've seen some quite established ones lately but I can't remember where.
The leaves are a really great shape, aren't they? That's another thing that gives me a kick about them, not only are they so pretty and delicate but also so other-worldly, in that evolutionary trends have obviously headed in other directions, these past X-million years. But the ginkgo/ginko/gingko still hanging in there with its antiquated design.
Another Dino-lunch plant I have is a Cycas revoluta. Its only a small one, but then it has to live on the window cill.
Other fav. trees that I'm looking out for good specimens are:-
Gleditsia triacanthos - with goldern pinate leaves.
Cercis siliquastrum - heart shaped leaves, purple flowers and copper seed pods.
Taxodium distichum - the swamp cypress, with its knobbelly 'knees' (pneumatophores)
Georgie I seem to have overlooked this thread when you started it back in August!
I love trees but would really have had a problem picking a favourite.
Anyway National Tree Week starts next Wednesday so perhaps we can start a new thread for A4A members favourites. xx
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http://www.treecouncil.org.uk/?q=node/41
Georgie - very sorry to have missed this thread (on holiday in August). If you have time to go over to Capel Manor, there is still some great tree colour there - especially the Cotinus coggyria (red/orange) and the Parrotia persica (yellow) in the woodland area at the far end. Also a fantastic display of berries.