Victoria-Park-Tree-Walk-2-Web.Pdf
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Opening times Victoria Park was London’s first The park is open every day except Christmas K public ‘park for the people’. K Day 7.00 am to dusk. Please be aware that R L Designed in 1841 by James A closing times fluctuate with the seasons. The P A specific closing time for the day of your visit is Pennethorne, it covers 88 hectares A I W listed on the park notice boards located at and contains over 4,500 trees. R E O each entrance. Trees are the largest living things on E T C Toilets are opened daily, from 10.00 am until R the planet and Victoria Park has a I V T one hour before the park is closed. variety of interesting specimens, Getting to the park many of which are as old as the park itself. Whatever the season, as you Bus: 277 Grove Road, D6 Grove Road, stroll around take time to enjoy 8 Old Ford Road their splendour, whether it’s the Tube: Mile End, Bow Road, Bethnal Green regimental design of the formal DLR: Bow Church tree-lined avenues, the exotic trees Rail: Hackney Wick (BR North London Line) from around the world or, indeed West Walk the evidence of the destruction caused by the great storm of 1987 that reminds us of the awesome power of nature. The West Walk is one of three Victoria Park tree walks devised by Tower Hamlets Council. We hope you enjoy your visit, if you have any comments or questions about trees please contact the Arboricultural department on 020 7364 7104. For general parks enquiries please contact 020 7364 5000 or email: [email protected] West Walk Weeping Ash (Fraxinus excelsior ‘Pendula’) Approximate time required: 45 –60 minutes 1 Origin: Cultivated Distance: approximately 1.5 miles Height at maturity: 15m (50ft) Stroll across the ornamental side of the park and In contrast to the normal upright growing take in some of the most attractive landscape habit of the Ash, this cultivated variety has features in the East End. All trees mentioned in pendulous weeping foliage and an attractive this guide are labelled. Enjoy your walk. dome-shaped appearance. 9 Accessibility 2 Yew (Taxus baccata) Most of this route is accessible for users of Origin: Europe, Iran, Algeria 8 10 wheelchairs and motorised scooters. However, Height at maturity: 25m (80ft) 11 the section between 19 and 25 is along This attractive evergreen is an extremely long- 12 grassland and may therefore not be accessible. lived tree and is often found in churchyards. 13 Its leaves and seeds are poisonous and the bark is dark brown with reddish peeling thin 14 strips. 15 7 16 Evergreen/Holm Oak (Quercus ilex) 17 18 3 Origin: Mediterranean region 19 Height at maturity: 28m (90ft) 20 21 Common in parks, gardens and roadsides in 6 5 Britain, this tree has been cultivated in England since the 16th century. It has a dense 26 dark appearance due to its abundance of 22 3 foliage and the hard, durable timber is used 25 4 for joinery. The acorns fall in October in large 24 2 numbers and are still used as a food source in 23 many countries. Leaves are glossy green with a lighter underside. 1 4 Variegated Holly (Ilex aquifolium ‘Argenteo Marginata') Origin: Cultivated Height at maturity: 25m (80ft) 27 A variegated form of the common Holly, this tree has an attractive contrast in colour between the berries and leaves. Holly is often Refreshments Lake & Parking Playground Toilets Accessible waterfowl toilet used in Christmas festivities as a decoration. This species is pollution-resistant and suitable for coastal locations. 5 Narrowleaf Ash (Fraxinus angustifolia) 14 Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) Origin: Southern Europe, North West Africa Origin: Central and North America Height at maturity: 25m (80ft) Height at maturity: 42m (140ft) This is the largest Ash specimen in the park This is a large tree with stout branched thorns and is a focal point in its own right. The that was introduced in 1700 from eastern Narrowleaf Ash can be identified by its United States. Planted in Europe as an pendulous crown and dark purple buds. ornamental, it is well known for its golden autumn colour and brittle timber. 6 Turner’s Oak (Quercus x turneri) Origin: Cultivated 15 Lime (Tilia species) (grafted) Height at maturity: 16m (55ft) Origin: C,W, & S Europe, Turkey, Caucasus Silver Pendent Lime (Tilia tomentosa Height at maturity: 21m (70ft) This is a hybrid of Quercus ilex and Quercus 10 ‘Petiolaris’) robur and is propogated entirely by grafting. A superb example of a grafted Lime tree. It tends to only bear acorns once it reaches Origin: Cultivated False Acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) approximately 60 years old. Height at maturity: 21m (70ft) 16 Look for the distinctive graft mark and note Origin: Eastern & mid-western North America 7 Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) the different bark patterns above and below Height at maturity: 25m (80ft) Origin: Europe, Turkey this point. The leaves tend to have a hairy Introduced to France in 1601 from eastern Height at maturity: 25m (80ft) surface and this deters greenfly. United States this tree is sometimes called the Black Locust. It is often used as an ornamental Another Ash but this time look for the graft Silver Birch ‘Lady of the Woods’ mark on the trunk. Grafting is a common 11 and, being-pollution tolerant, is commonly form of propagation. (Betula pendula) found in city streets and parks. The bark is Origin: Europe, Siberia, Turkey, Caucasus, Iran particularly distinctive, brown and deeply Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris) Height at maturity: 12–18m (40–60ft) furrowed with a network of ridges. Twigs 8 often have short, stout spines. Acacia is Origin: Southern Europe, Asia A beautiful tree with attractive white/silver known for its shallow root system. Height at maturity: 40m (130ft) bark. It also has graceful pendulous foliage. This is a fast growing tree and its timber is Mulberry (Morus nigra) The Turkey Oak was introduced in 1735 and used for making plywood. 17 this fine example has a proud upright Origin: West Asia growing habit. Notice how it differs from the Turkish Hazel (Corylus colurna) Height at maturity: 9m (30ft) common Oak with its thick, deeply ridged 12 Origin: South east Europe, west Asia First grown in England in the 16th century bark and woolly acorn cups. Height at maturity: 21–25m (7 0–80ft) this tree has been cultivated in Europe for so long that its origins are obscure. Fruits are Introduced in 1582 this is a sturdy tree with 9 Purple Leaved Plum (Prunus cerasifera edible and have an unusual flavour if eaten somewhat twisting branches. It is shapely and ‘Pissardii’) raw. More commonly, they are used to vigorous, growing well in difficult places. Origin: Balkans, central Asia produce jam or wine but take care when Height at maturity: 9m (30ft) handling as the staining can be hard to 13 Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris) Originally discovered in 1880 this small tree is remove. The shape is full of character, Origin: Southern Europe, Asia normally crooked and occasionally low and often used as both a street tree and as an Height at maturity: 40m (130ft) ornamental in parks and gardens. domed. The bark is ridged and burred and See No. 8 for more details. the leaves are heart shaped. 20 Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus The bark has brown ridges on a dark greyish dioicus) background and leaves are distinctive with a white underside. This tree leans at a Origin: Midwest North America precarious angle, its roots binding the Height at maturity: 22–30m (75–100ft) lakeside bank together. Please take care when This fairly rare tree was introduced to England approaching the water's edge. in the 18th century. The early settlers of Kentucky are said to have roasted the seeds 25 Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa) to make a coffee-like drink. Origin: South Europe, Turkey, north Africa Height at maturity: 30m (100ft) Pine (Pinus wallichiana) 21 This tree, sometimes referred to as the Origin: Himalaya Spanish Chestnut, is the largest of only a few Height at maturity: 45m (150ft) specimens within the park. The Sweet A juvenile example of this attractive tree Chestnut is noted for its edible nuts which are which originated in the Himalayan roasted and eaten in winter. It has long mountains. It is sometimes grown for timber catkin-like yellow flowers that let off a and widely planted as an ornamental in parks pungent smell when in full bloom in July. 18 Magnolia (Magnolia x soulangiana) and churchyards. Origin: Cultivated in France 26 Turner's Oak (Quercus x turneri) Height at maturity: 5–25m (17 –80ft) 22 Weeping Beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Pendula’) Origin: Cultivated in Essex Origin: Western, central & southern Europe A hybrid originally raised in France early in Height at maturity: 16m (55ft) Height at maturity: 15–25m (50–80ft) the 19th century. This old specimen flowers A semi-evergreen deciduous tree which is a twice a year and has a beautiful spreading Usually smaller than the Common Beech, this hybrid between Quercus ilex and Quercus habit. Magnolias normally have strongly tree boasts masses of drooping pendulous robur. It was raised in the 18th century by aromatic bark and were named in honour of branches and fine surface roots common to Spencer Turner and is common in gardens Pierre Magnol, a professor of botany and the species. and collections in Europe. It is almost medicine at Montpelier in the late 17th evergreen, shedding leaves just weeks before century. 23 Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) new leaves are formed. Origin: Europe, Turkey 19 Cider Gum (Eucalyptus gunnii) Height at maturity: 25m (80ft) 27 London Plane (Platanus x hispanica) Origin: Australia This is an important timber tree, its light Origin: Cultivated Height at maturity: 6m (20ft) coloured wood is strong and hard wearing Height at maturity: 35m (115ft) This unusual tree has been widely cultivated and is commonly used to make furniture and A large Maple-like tree with attractive flaking in parks and gardens throughout Europe.