What Is a Tree Trail? the Park Is Full of Native and Ornamental Trees That Were Planted Over 150 Years Ago

grosvenor park Tree trail Welcome to Grosvenor Park

Grosvenor Park is a Grade II* registered public park found just outside the city of Chester’s How to use the tree trail historic walls, overlooking the River Dee. 1 There are 15 trees to find in the park. To find them, you will need to navigate your way around the park using the trail map on the following page. The park was gifted to the city of Chester in 1867 by 2 To help you in your search, look out for the Tree Trail sign posts which contain the Grosvenor family, who acquired the 5.8 hectares of more information. These are positioned in front of the specimen trees. parkland from the Second Marquees of Westminster, an 3 Once you have found a tree, use a crayon and the worksheets included to extensive landowner. record your trail by taking a rubbing from the metal plaque on each post (as shown below). One of the finest examples of Victorian parks in the UK, 4 Start at the Vicars Lane entrance, marked ‘Start’ on the map the original layout was designed by famous Victorian landscape designer, Edward Kemp, which is what makes our park so special!

What is a tree trail? The park is full of native and ornamental trees that were planted over 150 years ago. This tree trail will take you around some of our favourite specimens (we love all our trees really!) and tell you a bit about their origins and history. There is a map for you to follow so you can easily find the trees. What you will need We really enjoy looking after our park and hope you do 1 A printed copy of this booklet – you can download this from our website too, so pop any litter you have in the bins provided and www.grosvenorparkchester.co.uk please don’t pick any flowers as they are there for 2. A selection of coloured crayons (lighter colours work best!) everyone to enjoy. But we will let you into a secret - our 3. A sense of adventure and a love for history and nature! oldest trees on the lawn areas do like to be hugged! What is the difference between a Native tree and a non-Native tree? Did you know? Our native trees arrived and grew here naturally after the last Ice Age and 1 Grosvenor Park has were not introduced by humans. They colonised the land when the glaciers approximately 688 trees melted after the last Ice Age and before the UK was disconnected from ranging from 5 years to 150 years old mainland Europe. We call any species that has been brought to the UK by humans non-native. This means that species would not naturally live here if it were not for us intentionally or accidentally bringing them here. The 2 Grosvenor Park was originally called ‘New Victorians were famous for travelling the world and finding new and exciting park’ before being renamed in honour of the species, some of which you will see on this trail. Grosvenor family

3 In 2014, the park was given a 2.4 million Can you speak Latin? grant from the Heritage and Big Lottery Fund to restore it to its former glory You’ll see that under the common name of the tree, there is also its Latin name. This can be blamed on a guy called Carl Linnaeus, he was a Swedish 4 During the medieval period, the area where scientist who wrote a book called ‘Species Plantarum’ in 1753 which contained descriptions of every plant that Linnaeus knew. the park now stands was used as an important ecclesiastical college and during Linnaeus spoke Latin, so every plant he described was given a Latin name. the Civil War played a part in the People were so impressed by the naming system that it just became the Parliamentarian Siege of Chester way everyone named things. That’s why we still use Latin names to this day. The Latin name often describes the plant, for example, Tree 12 on the trail is 5 Billy Hobby’s well, tucked away in the south- called Ginko biloba. In Latin, biloba translates as ‘bi’ meaning ‘two’ and east corner of the park, and originally used ‘loba’ meaning ’lobed’. If you look at the leaf of the Ginko tree, the leaf is as a pump house to circulate water to the split in two lobes - clever hey! pond and throughout the park, is believed to have magical properties

TREE TRAIL 1

Tulip Tree Liriodendron tulipifera

One of the largest native trees of the eastern United States, these trees can grow to 50m tall. Earlier European species of this tree have been evidenced in fossil records and are referred to as Tertiary-age fossils created somewhere between 65 million and 1.8 million years ago.

Did you know? The name can be traced back to the tulip-like ﬂowers that are produced in late spring. TREE TRAIL 2

Yew Taxus baccata

Native to Britain and sometimes referred to as the English yew, it is also found across much of Europe, western Asia and North Africa. The generic name Taxus is reﬂected in the name of the poisonous taxanes found in the tree; baccata is Latin for ‘bearing red berries’. It is also the classic British conifer hedging plant, called the King of Hedges. Yew is extraordinarily long-lived and slow- growing, with some trees estimated to Did you know? be over 3,000 years old. The red ﬂesh of the berry isn’t poisonous and is quite sweet, BUT the seed is highly toxic. That’s why you should NEVER eat fruit that looks tasty without knowing exactly what it is! TREE TRAIL 3

Katsura Katsura Cercidiphyllum japonicum

Katsura is a species of flowering tree native to China and Japan and has attractive heart shaped leaves in opposite pairs along the stem. Katsura is a plant which gives interest all year round, with its constantly changing colour displays. In spring, its emerging leaves are pinkish-bronze, gradually turning to a lush green in summer while autumn brings brilliant displays of orange yellow and red. The best quality (in our opinion) is the autumnal smell of burnt sugar and candy floss which drifts around the dell. Because of this, it is sometimes called the Caramel Tree. Did you know? Neither the flowers or fruits are particularly The species is now listed as Endangered in China significant. TREE TRAIL 4

Strawberry Tree Arbutus unedo

An evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean region, Western Europe and Ireland. The best season for admiring the Strawberry tree is the autumn when the ﬂowers are produced and the round rough textured fruits from the previous year ripen. They turn a deep red and from a distance resemble strawberries - you didn’t think they were real strawberries did you? Did you know? The tree is so important to the Spanish for making sweet liqueur, that it features on the Madrid coat of arms with a Bear standing on its back legs to reach the fruit. It is celebrated in the main Puerta del Sol square with a statue. TREE TRAIL 5

Japanese Maple Acer palmatum dissectum purpurea

A small deciduous tree which has been in cultivation for over three hundred years in Japan. Sometimes called the Mountain maple, it is found at altitudes up to 1,100m (3,600ft). It is also indigenous to forested areas in Korea and China and as far south as Taiwan. The species can reach heights of 8-9m (26-30ft) in ﬁfty years, depending on growing conditions, but most cultivars are small, slow-growing trees like this one which we think is around 150 years old. Did you know? ‘Palmatum’ is the Latin meaning ‘palm’ or ‘hand like’ and is a reference to the shape of the leaves. Do you think they look a bit like hands? TREE TRAIL 6

Common Beech Fagus sylvatica

Native to Southern England and South Wales, it is also found in South and Western Europe, and planted in great numbers throughout parks. Beech is monoecious (pronounced mon-ee-she-us), meaning both male and female flowers grow on the same tree. The tassel-like male catkins hang from long stalks at the end of twigs, while female flowers grow in pairs, surrounded by a cup. The cup becomes woody once pollinated and encloses one or two beech nuts (known as beechmast). Beech is wind pollinated. Did you know? The beechmasts can be made into a very poor tasting coffee. Eurrrrrgh! TREE TRAIL 7

Fastigiate Beech Fagus sylvatica dawyck

This British Native was discovered around 1860 in a wood next to Dawyck Gardens, Scotland. Since the 1930’s it has become a frequently used municipal tree, popular for its column style growth rather than the wider spread of its relative, the Common beech (Tree 6 on trail). A beautiful medium sized (15- 20m) deciduous tree with a very columnar form is ideal for specimen planting in parks such as here. The leaves are dark green, ovate and glossy, the bark smooth and grey. Inconspicuous ﬂowers in spring are followed Did you know? by spiny fruits in the autumn. The semi-drying oil obtained from the beechmasts (seeds) can be used as fuel for lighting, lubricant and for polishing wood. TREE TRAIL 8

Wellingtonia Sequoiadendron giganteum

It may not be the tallest tree in the world but Sequoiadendron giganteum is the largest by volume, reaching up to 95 m in height and 12 m in diameter. The largest living specimens are found in its native California, where the largest tree is known as ‘General Sherman’. At the last measurement, it stood 84 m (275 ft) high, with a trunk circumference of 31 m (103 ft) at ground level. It is estimated to be around 2,800 years old. When it was introduced to Britain in 1853, the species was named Wellingtonia gigantea after the recently deceased Duke of Wellington. Always on the lookout for new and exciting large trees, Victorian estate owners jumped at the chance of growing another impressive specimen Did you know? and having the name Wellingtonia worked The wood of the Wellingtonia is resistant to ﬁre! wonders to promote the tree. TREE TRAIL 9

Weeping Beech Fagus sylvatica ‘Pendula’

Originally brought from France to the Knaphill Nursery, Surrey in 1826, it is a cultured variety of our native Common beech. The weeping beech is characterized by its shape with sweeping, pendulous branches (hence its Latin name ‘pendula’). The stem of the tree may not be visible from a distance due to its weeping branches. The branches may reach the ground and start new roots again. When the tree is mature, its branches form a tent around the trunk and you can wander in and out of the Did you know? trees curtain of branches. Beech is associated with femininity and is often considered the Queen of British trees, while Oak is the King. TREE TRAIL 10

Blue Atlas Cedar Cedrus atlantica glauca

Cedrus atlantica, commonly called Atlas cedar, is an evergreen conifer that is native to the Atlas Mountains in Northern Africa (Morocco and Algeria). You can tell the Atlas cedar apart from other cedars by the bluish tinge of its foliage (hence the latin name ‘glauca’ meaning blue- grey). It grows fast too – one specimen planted near Powis Castle in Wales grew nearly 25 m in less than a hundred years. See if you can ﬁnd some cedar cones. The cones of the Atlas cedar have a hollow top sit upright on the branch, are barrel-shaped and once ripe, lose their scales to Did you know? leave nothing but a vertical woody spike. An Atlas cedar graces the White House South Lawn in Washington, DC. When President Carter designed a tree house for his daughter Amy, it was built in this tree! TREE TRAIL 11

Robinia Robinia pseudoacacia

Introduced to Britain in 1636, it is also known as Black Locust and ‘False acacia’ which is the literal translation of the latin name, ‘pseudoacacia’ (pseudo meaning false). Robinia is a rapidly growing tree that is native to North America and is a member of the pea and bean family. It was first introduced to Europe from North America at the beginning of the 17th century. Its hanging clusters of scented, white flowers are a common sight in streets and parks in England during June and July. In flower, it is intensely fragranced with a Did you know? smell similar to Orange blossom. A specimen of Robinia pseudoacacia planted in 1762, is one of the oldest trees currently standing in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. TREE TRAIL 12

Maidenhair Tree Ginkgo biloba

Brought from the temple gardens of China in 1758, Ginkgos are large trees normally reaching a height of 20–35m. A combination of disease and insect-resistant wood makes them long-lived, with some specimens more than 3,500 years old. The characteristic greenish-yellow leaves are fan-shaped and composed of two or more distinct lobes; hence its Latin name biloba (‘bi’ meaning two, ‘loba’ meaning lobes). In autumn, the leaves of the Ginkgo turn a beautiful golden hue before falling to the ground. Dietary supplements of Did you know? Ginkgo are believed to improve blood ﬂow to The Maidenhair tree has been described as a the brain and have anti-oxidant properties. ‘living fossil’ because it is the sole survivor of an ancient group of trees older than the dinosaurs. TREE TRAIL 13

Deodar Cedar Cedrus deodara

Cedrus deodara is a species of cedar native to the Western Himalayas, Northern Pakistan and India. In fact, Cedrus deodara is the national tree of Pakistan. It was introduced to Britain in 1831 and soon became a favourite as an ornamental tree in large gardens and parks, frequently used in formal planting schemes. It is also cultivated for timber in Southern Europe. The deodar cedar is one of three cedars found in the British Isles along with the Lebanon cedar and the Atlas cedar (Tree number 10 on the trail). The Deodar cedar is Did you know? distinguished from these other cedars by its The name ‘deodar’ comes from the Sanskrit drooping branches. word 'devdar', which means 'timber of the gods' due to its strength. TREE TRAIL 14

Sessile Oak Quercus petraea

The Sessile oak is also known as the Irish oak and is the oﬃcial national tree of Ireland and the unoﬃcial tree of Wales and Cornwall. A large deciduous tree growing to 20–40 m, the oldest specimen recorded was 1,200 years old in Wales. Oaks produce one of the hardest and most durable timbers available. It has been a prized hardwood timber for thousands of years. It was the primary ship building material until the mid-19th century and remains a popular wood for architectural beams today. We don’t need to tell you what the seeds of an Did you know? oak tree are called, do we? Acorns of course! Oak trees support more wildlife than any other native trees. They provide a habitat for more than 280 species of insect, which provides food for birds and other predators. TREE TRAIL 15

Indian Bean Tree Catalpa biginoides

Other common names include Southern catalpa, cigartree. This tree is late into leaf, but patience is rewarded by enormously broad, pale green leaves which can be as big as 30cm. Panicles of white exotic bell shaped flowers splashed with orange and purple appear in late summer. The flowers are then followed by distinctive long, thin bean shaped fruits which hang on through autumn, hence its common name. The Indian bean tree is the only source of food for the Catalpa sphinx moth. Its caterpillars can completely strip a tree – but Did you know? also make good fishing bait. Some anglers In spite of its common name ‘Indian bean tree’ this tree neither even plant themselves a bean tree orchard to comes from India or produces beans! Its origins are in the south guarantee a ready supply! eastern United States and was named after a native American (called Indian at the time) tribe, and produces bean-like seed pods up to 40 cm long. A bit like runner beans! Quiz Time

1 Which tree smells like Candy ﬂoss in the autumn? 2 What tree is named ‘General Sherman’ in California? 3 Which red berry is HIGHLY poisonous to humans? 4 Which tree is described as a living fossil? 5 The fruit of which tree features on Madrids coat of arms with a bear? 6 The wood of which tree is known as the ‘Timber of the Gods’ 7 What tree supports over 280 species of insects? 8 What seed can be made into a bad cup of coﬀee? 9 The leaf of which tree looks like the palm of your hand?

10 What tree produces seed pods that resemble runner beans?

e e r t n a e B n a i d n I : 0 1 e l p a M e s e n a p a J : 9 h c e e b n o m m o C : 8 k a O : 7 r a d e c r a d o e D : 6 e e r t y r r e b w a r t S : 5 o k g n i G : 4 w e Y : 3 a i n o t g n i l l e W : 2 a r u s t a K : 1

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