*Please note: illustrations are not to scale to not are illustrations note: *Please
1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 The Queen Great Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 Queen Victoria
E until her death in 1901. The outer until her death in 1901. The Mall rows of London Planes along are thought to be around 120 years old meaning they were in situ when was alive! Queen Victoria Memorial is located in front of Victoria As well as Victoria, Buckingham Palace. there are statues representing courage, truth charity, victory, constancy, and motherhood. 1532 Acquired by Henry VIII as a deer park and Court of St James established 1603 James I laid out the park with a menagerie and duck decoys 1660 Park relandscaped for Charles II in formal French style 1663 Horse Guards Parade constructed 1664 Exotic birds introduced, including pelicans 1703 Buckingham House developed which later became the official Royal residence 1827 John Nash appointed to carry out present landscape in a more romantic, informal style 1905 The Queen Victoria Memorial and garden were created 1916 During WW1 the lake was drained to allow for temporary government buildings Present day St James's Park welcomes over 5 million visitors per year
A striking black and white bird, the black and white striking A seen in St can be Woodpecker Spotted trunks and clinging to tree Park James’s a very distinctive bouncing branches. It has its mainly on insects, using flight and feeds to to peck away at tree bark powerful beak prey with its long tongue. retrieve hidden Brief history of St James's Park James's St of history Brief
'The Mandela Tree' Nelson Mandela planted a
avenue of London Plane The avenue of London Plane The of trees has been a feature in Mall for many years as shown this map from the 1800's. G London Plane tree on his visit to The tree was the park in July 1996. officially named and the Chairman of the Prince of Appeal said at the time Tree Wales' "It's special in a world of pollution. It thrives, it's strong, and it's dependable. It will live for a very long time. It is a Mandela tree'. Park is a great place to St James’s most You’re watch bats as dusk falls. likely to see the Common Pipistrelle, growing 3-5cm in length and with a wingspan of 19-25cm, it can fit inside a matchbox when its wings are single Pipistrelle can A folded. feed on 3,000 insects in one night – flying consumes a lot of energy! seed A distinctive characteristic A is the spiky brown ball which hang together on a single stalk and remain March From throughout winter. to May seeds are released causing issues for hay fever and allergy sufferers. the total leaf area. but accounts for 9% of London tree population up 4% of the inner leaves are tough, Today this species makes this species Today thrive in such polluted air. thrive in such polluted air. Shaped like a five London pointed star, Plane glossy and turn a rich orange-yellow before falling in autumn. Hairs on the surface help to trap pollution particles. of the few trees that could Revolution. They were one They were Revolution. soot from the Industrial
London was black with during the Victorian era when during the Victorian trees were extensively planted trees were extensively planted London Plane Khaki camouflage- patterned bark regularly to itself, replaces and sheds prevent the tree becoming stifled under sooty layers. Roots tolerate small spaces with soil compaction, making them ideal for roadsides and other urban areas where space is limited. Printed on FSC Certified 100% recycled paper With thanks to our With conservation partner: WHO DO I CONTACT FOR WHO DO I CONTACT FURTHER INFORMATION? The Royal Parks, The Old Police House, Hyde Park, London W2 2UH www.royalparks.org.uk Registered Charity Number 1172042 St James’s Park Park St James’s Walk Tree The Mall is the iconic London Plane lined
F road leading from Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Square to Buckingham Trafalgar road leading from Palace. It has seen innumerable historic Royal processions including coronations and openings The Mall plays an important part of Parliament. in ceremonies such as Changing the Guard the Colour. Trooping and Pelican Rock - pelicans have a long history in
C St James’s Park; they first arrived in 1664, when St James’s they were gifted to King Charles II by the Russian Since then, the pelicans have become ambassador. long-term, much loved residents of the park, with You new generations of birds added over the years. can often see them resting on Pelican Rock and they are fed daily between 2.30pm – 3.30pm.
. D Blue Bridge - this low-arched concrete bridge is the third to span the D lake. The first was designed by John Nash which was replaced by an iron lake. The current bridge dates from 1957 and from suspension bridge in 1857. it you will be treated to spectacular views across the lake to Buckingham Palace to the west and Horse Guards Parade towards the east. Blue Bridge - the park’s ceremonial parade ground and parade ground ceremonial of the scene - the park’s Guards Parade Horse
A Trooping the Colour on the Queen’s official birthday in June. Horse Guards is the Horse Guards in June. official birthday on the Queen’s the Colour Trooping to official entrance remains the and an archway, tower over with a clock building Palace. and Buckingham St James’s Heritage features of interest
A The Churchill War Rooms - dedicated to The Churchill War
The view westwards from the B KEY: Winston Churchill, the 'greatest Briton'. These Winston Churchill, the 'greatest Briton'. secret underground headquarters were the nerve centre of Britain's war effort. Tibetan Cherry Swamp Cypress London Plane Prunus serrula Taxodium distichum Platanus x hispanica
03 Originally from the mangrove swamps of the Florida Everglades, this tree is often found planted near rivers and lakes. 02 A distinctive and prized ornamental tree due to its eye catchingly shiny, Unlike most other conifers, this tree drops its 06 As you walk down The Mall mahogany coloured bark, which peels as the foliage in winter living up to its nickname, 'the you will notice it is flanked tree matures. The horizontal bands running bald cypress’. The needles turn a stunning by rows of London Planes. These across the trunk are known as 'lenticels' - fiery red in colour just before they fall. The large deciduous trees provide visual these allow gas to exchange between the timber is very resistant to water meaning it’s interest in winter and shade in air and the internal tissues of the tree. They great for making barrels and window frames. Silver Birch Ginkgo summer. A crossbreed of American appear on all trees but are pronounced in Betula pendula Ginkgo biloba Sycamore and Oriental Plane, it can Cherry species. withstand the rigours of urban life Indian Bean Tree See if you can spot the unusual, and is widely considered to be one Catalpa bignonioides Royal Parks apprentices were once said to knobbly roots around the base of the world's more reliable be told to polish the bark to make it shine! of the tree. These are called city trees. pneumatophores. They are thought to stabilise the tree and act like There are over 500 London Plane snorkels to help it ‘breathe’ in waterlogged soil. trees in St James's Park and they make up 49% of the parks tree population. You can find out 04 This British tree is recognised 05 Also known as the Maidenhair tree the Ginkgo more about this true 'Londoner' by the white, papery bark, ‘drooping’ branches and triangular is the world's oldest tree species overleaf and what makes it such is one of the park’s most a brilliant urban tree. 01 It doesn’t come from India and it doesn’t St James's Lake leaves with jagged teeth that and can be traced back 270 produce beans, but this tree is a favourite prominent features. It is home to a wide range St James's Palace grow from hairless leaf stalks. It’s million years, when dinosaurs for its character and decorative appeal. of bird life and has two islands which serve as a favourite of insects, providing walked the planet. It is a hardy, Originally from the United States, the tree nesting sites. food and habitat for more than 300 long-lived tree, ideal for the produces very distinctive long, slim, cylindrical Clarence species. In spring, the male catkins modern environment. In China, seed pods that look rather like beans. White House (or 'lamb's tails') turn yellow and the tree is believed to have blossom, with yellow and purples flecks, shed their pollen, which is carried healing properties; this is also adorns the tree in July. by the wind to the short, green, where the oldest living tree Italian Maple Acer opalus Marlborough female catkins that appear on the is found, thought to be The leaves are large and heart shaped, The Memorial Gate same tree. over 3,000 years old. being 20–30 cm long and 15–20 cm broad. Gardens The Can you locate the largest leaf on the tree? Green Artillery Park Bandstand Memorial Buckingham The Mall F
Palace 06 While St James’s Park is famed for its planting beds, these change every year; 07 The Mediterranean equivalent of the Victorians saw many of the same the familiar Sycamore, having a trees that we see today, this also adds more plated bark and darker, rounder leaves. The winged seeds know as an irreplaceable continuity and link to the The Queen 02 ‘samaras’ emerge earlier in the year past, present and future. Victoria E 05 and it provides a nice contrast to other Memorial 03 Mandela 07 trees, with the crimson coloured seeds. G The tree also has a very attractive Tree pinky red autumn colour. Weeping Beech West 04 St James's Fagus sylvatica ‘pendula' Island Park Café D Blue Bridge A 01 15 Duck Island Horse Guards Parade
08 15 Irregularly shaped in its younger Duck life, this drooping tree develops a 14 Pelican C Island more stately weeping form as it matures. Trees benefit our Rock Cottage The original weeping beech was brought from France to Surrey in the 1830's, health, their canopies and this tree very likely originates from act as a physical filter this era. Beech foliage is eaten by the trapping dust and 13 09 caterpillars of a number of moths and the absorbing pollutants seeds are eaten by mice, voles, squirrels B from the air. They also Running along the southern length of the and birds. provide shade and park, Birdcage Walk is so named because Churchill Research has shown that reduce noise. King James I had a particular liking for War Rooms within minutes of being exotic birds and kept many of them in Boy Statue amongst trees and green Caucasian Wingnut cages and aviaries along this street. 10 space, your blood pressure Pterocarya fraxinifolia drops, your heart rate slows and your stress levels 11 12 come down.
Medlar Mespilus germanica
13 Named after the green 'wings' Storey's that surround the nut, this tree has a grand, majestic, stately Gate presence and is easily recognisable in the summer by the dangling catkins hanging from the tree, which look like hundreds of green snakes HM Treasury falling from the canopy. The wood is very strong and has been used for 08 With attractive spring blossom, golden brown timber production. autumnal colour and edible winter fruit, the Medlar has been a prized ornamental tree since before the days of the Roman Empire. The fruit is not edible until it is over- ripened, the process of which is called ‘bletting’. This tree has been propped to support its weight. You’ll also notice concrete in the trunk, which was used in the past to fill in Black Mulberry cracks and cavities. This Medlar is over 60 years old. Morus nigra Pride of India Koelreuteria paniculata Paper Bark Maple Acer griseum
Indian Horse Chestnut Aesculus indica Fig St James's Park 14 This tree commemorates the failed attempt by King James I in Ficus carica the 16th century to establish an English silk industry. He ordered Tree walk people to plant Black Mulberry and even had a four-acre mulberry 12 Despite its common name, this garden near Buckingham Palace, tended by the King’s Mulberry Men. ornamental tree is native to Eastern 11 Native to China, this tree was Unfortunately, it’s the White Mulberry that are the preferred plant of silk Asia. It is noted for its summer displays of introduced to Europe in 1901 by How many figs can moth larvae. Mulberry age quickly, and at about 25 years can develop bright yellow flowers, followed by paper thin, collector EH Wilson. It is a decorative tree you count on the Route Chinese lantern like seed pods which have tree? Can you spot twisted branches and gnarly bark. with cinnamon coloured unusual bark - the Approximate distance: historically been used to make necklaces in older, dead layers of bark form thin, papery any birds feasting on 1.30 miles. China. The seeds are edible once roasted the delicious fruit?
strips that peel off or wear away. Unusually ©2018 seasaltnw.co.uk Introduced to Britain from the Himalayas Approximate time: but are not commonly eaten. Known also as for a Maple, it has a tri-foliate leaf which is 10 Mulberry fruit was a prized delicacy saved only for Royals at the time. Thieves in 1851, it bears pyramidal clusters of pink 35 minutes* the ‘Golden Rain Tree’ this species is hardy three separate leaflets from one central stalk. were caught out when stealing the over ripened red fruit as it left notable stains flowers in the summer, whilst its leaves are purple and thrives in tough urban environments. The leaves are dark green in summer, red This Fig is thought to be one of the biggest in Britain, on their hands, leading to the well-known phrase ‘caught red handed’! when young, turning dark green in spring, then 09 in autumn. seemingly enjoying London’s climate and its location You can join this circular walking route at any point. orange and yellow in autumn. They do not produce next to the lake. They do not produce blossom on branches, *based on a relaxed walking speed of 2.5mph the same conkers of the more familiar Horse but inside the fruit, which is in season from August to October. Chestnut, but are known to be more resistant
This tree has a distinctive lean. Can you Walk up to the tree and take a look at its Fig leaves have long been used to cover human modesty in Produced by: www.viewcreative.co.uk Illustrations & Design: think why this might be? interesting bark, but please don’t peel it! to disease than their cousin making them an painting and sculpture, an example being the Achilles statue 01 A KEY: Trees of interest Heritage features of interest - please see overleaf for more details increasingly popular urban tree. in Hyde Park. Please note: illustrations are not to scale