St Andrew's Churchyard Tree Trail

This is a version of the tree trail used during Green Squares and Secret Gardens weekends in Clifton, created by Jennifer Sparkes and RoseMary Musgrave, whose original inspiration we gratefully acknowledge.


Starting from The Fosseway end - all the trees can be seen from the central path ( LHS/RHS Left/Right hand side).

The path with pleached lime trees (Tilia x vulgaris), popularly known as Birdcage Walk, leads through the 19th century graveyard of the demolished St. Andrew’s church. At the turn of the 20th century a churchwarden, Mr. Prowse, undertook to plant the churchyard with interesting trees and shrubs, many of which are still here today.

LHS 1. Handkerchief tree

1 Handkerchief tree

 

 

 

LHS 1. Handkerchief or Ghost Tree (Davidia involucrata) Comes from China and is named after French priest Fathe Armand David, who was the first westerner to describe the giant panda. He was also known as Père David and introduced to Europe a species of deer, which was named after him, and he sent the first small group of ‘yellow rats’ from Mongolia to Paris in 1866. Later, 20 breeding pairs became the parents of all gerbils kept as pets today.   Wikipedia entry

1 Handkerchief tree flowers

LHS 2. Persian ironwood

Persian Ironwood

 

 LHS 2. Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica) Native to Northern Iran and Azerbaijan. Named after Friedrich Parrot, a German scientist and keen mountaineer. In 1829 he reached the summit of Mount Ararat. Ironwood refers to the strength of its timber.    Wikipedia entry

 

Persian Ironwood leaf

LHS 3. Red Oak

3 Red Oak

 

 

 

 

 

LHS 3. Red Oak (Quercus rubra) Native to North America. Quality red oak timber is of high value for furniture, flooring and veneer. Ornamentally it is usually grown for its autumn colour.  Wikipedia Entry

RHS 4. Lime tree

Lime tree

 

 

 

 

 

RHS 4. Lime tree (Tilia x vulgaris) Native in most of the temperate northern hemisphere. The wood, soft with little grain is used for marionettes and building models.


RHS 5. Chusan Palm

Chusan Palm

 

 

RHS 5. Chusan Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) Has been cultivated in China and Japan for thousands of years for its coarse, but very strong, leaf sheath fibre, which is used for making ropes, sacks and other coarse cloth where strength is required.  Wikipedia Entry

RHS 6. Ash Leaved Maple

Ash Leafed Maple

 

 

 

RHS 6. Ash Leaved Maple (Acer negundo) In 1959 it was identified as the material used in the oldest extant wooden flutes (now known as Anasazi flutes) from the Americas. Early instruments from Arizona have been dated to 620-670CE.  Wikipedia Entry

 

6 Ash Leaved Maple leaf

RHS 7. Laburnum

7. Laburnum  IMG_2953.JPG

 

 

RHS 7. Laburnum (Laburnum anagyroides) has historically been used for cabinet making and inlay, as well as for musical instruments. In addition to wind instruments such as recorders, flutes and oboes, it was a popular wood for Great Highland bagpipes before taste turned to imported tropical hardwoods. It is a very hard wood, dark chocolate brown, with a butter-yellow sapwood.  Wikipedia Entry

 

7 Laburnum leaf IMG_2948.JPG

RHS 8. Bay Tree

8 Bay Tree IMG_2922.JPG

 

 

 

RHS 8. Bay Tree (Laurus nobilis) Bay leaves are used, fresh or dried, in cooking to give a fragrant flavour to soups, stews and other dishes. It figures prominently in classical Greek and Roman culture. Today in Italy those graduating from college or university still often wear crowns of laurel instead of the normal hat or cap.  Wikipedia Entry

LHS 9. English Yew

10 English Yew

 

 

 

LHS 9. English Yew (Taxus baccata) The timber is rich orange-brown in colour, closely grained, incredibly strong and durable (this is how old trees can remain standing with hollow trunks). Traditionally the wood has been used in turnery and to make long bows and tools handles. Yew is a primitive form of conifer, bearing fleshy fruits rather than cones.  Wikipedia Entry

 

10 English Yew leaf IMG_2944.JPG

LHS 10. Irish Yew

9_Irish Yew

 

 

 

LHS 10. Irish Yew (Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata’) Differs from the English Yew in that the leaves are borne in whorls around the stem, whereas the leaves of the English Yew are only on two sides of the stem.  Wikipedia Entry

 

9 Irish Yew leaf IMG_2942.JPG

LHS 11. Box

11 Box

 

 

 

LHS 11. Box (Buxus sempervirens) Common box timber is finely textured and hard. It is used for wood engraving and to make violin pegs and Musical instruments. In 2011 box-tree caterpillars first appeared in the UK; they feed on the leaves within webbing that they make, and can completely defoliate a tree. Those in the churchyard are already badly infected. Wikipedia Entry

 

    11 Box leaf healthy IMG_2956.JPG

RHS 12. Bottle Brush ‘Buckeye’

12 Bottle brush 'Buckeye'

 

 

RHS 12. Bottle Brush ‘Buckeye’ (Aesculus parviflora) was introduce to British horticulture by John Fraser, who made his first ‘botanizing’ trip through the American South in 1785. The shrub was first ‘to be met in most of our nurseries by 1820’. It is the same family as the Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum).  Wikipedia Entry

 

12 Bottle brush 'Buckeye' blosssom

RHS 13. Field Maple

13 Field Maple

 

 

 

RHS 13. Field Maple (Acer campestre) In parts of Europe it was believd that maple branches hung around a doorway could prevent bats from entering the building. The herbalist, Culpeper, recommended maple leaves and bark to strengthen the liver.  Wikipedia Entry

RHS 14. American Bladdernut

14 American Bladdernut

 

RHS 14. American Bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia) Produces pendant white flowers in Spring, which mature into bladder-like, teardrop-shaped fruits that contain several large black seeds.  Wikipedia Entry

 

 

14 American Bladdernut fruit

RHS 15. Beech

15 Beech

 

 

 

RHS 15. Beech (Fagus sylvatica) In Celtic mythology, Fagus was the god of beech trees. Beech was thought to have medicinal properties, the leaves were used to relieve swellings, and a poultice could be made by boiling them. The wood burns well, and was traditionally used to smoke herring. The mast (edible nuts) was used in the autumn to feed pigs.  Wikipedia Entry

RHS 16. Plane

16 Plane

 

 

 

RHS 16. Plane (Platanus sp.) Plane trees are pollution tolerant so are frequently planted as street trees. They are found throughout Northern Europe

LHS 17. Copper Beech

17 Copper Beech

 

 

 

LHS 17. Copper Beech (Fagus sylvaticus purpurea) Appeared as natural mutants of the common Beech in various parts of Europe as early as the 15th century. Popular in 19th century gardens and landscapes. Wikipedia Entry

 

RHS 18. Black Walnut

19 Black Walnut IMG_2935.JPG

 

 

 

RHS 18. Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) Native to eastern North America, the bark, leaves, husks and nuts have been used medicinally for thousands of years. Uses include as a mosquito repellent, and as relief from the symptoms of fever, kidney ailments, gastrointestinal disturbance, ulcers, toothache and snake bite, among others. The fruit husks have been shown to contain a compound that inhibits bacterial and fungal growth. It is being tested for its anti-cancer properties. The timber is very attractive and very valuable.  Wikipedia Entry

 

Black walnut_Leaves & Fruit

RHS 19. Gingko / Maidenhair Fern

19 Gingko

 

 

 

RHS 19. Gingko / Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo biloba) Native to China, the Ginkgo is a living fossil, found in sediments dating back 270 million years. The leaves are unique among seed plants, being fan-shaped with veins radiating out into the leaf blade. The first use as a medicine is recorded in the late 15th century in China; in western countries its first registered use was in Germany in 1965.  Wikipedia Entry

19 Gingko leaf

RHS 20. Silver Birch

20 Silver Birch IMG_2936.JPG

 

 

 

RHS 20. Silver Birch (Betula pendula) In early Celtic mythology the birch symbolises renewal and purification. Bundles of birch twigs were used to drive out the spirits of the old year. It is also used as a symbol of love and fertility. It was used to make hardwearing bobbins, spools and reels for the Lancashire cotton industry. The bark is used for tanning leather.  Wikipedia Entry

RHS 21. Ash Tree

21 Ash IMG_2937.JPG

 

 

 

RHS 21. Ash Tree (Fraxinus excelsior) Was thought to have medicinal and mystical properties and the wood was burned to ward off evil spirits. In Norse Viking mythology, Ash was referred to as the ‘Tree of Life’. Even today it is sometimes known as the ‘Venus of the Woods’. In Britain Ash is regarded as a healing tree. Ash dieback has become a serious threat in recent years, a fungal infection causing loss of leaves and ultimately death of the tree. It is thought tens of thousands of trees could die, potentially changing the UK landscape forever.  Wikipedia Entry

LHS 22. Swedish Whitebeam

22 Swedish Whitebeam IMG_2963.JPG

 

 

 

LHS 22. Swedish Whitebeam (Scandosorbus intermedia) Native to Scandinavia. The timber is sometimes used for turnery in the making of tool handles. It has small red berries in the autumn.  Wikipedia Entry

 

Swedish Whitebeam fruit

23. Cedar

23 Cedar of Lebanon IMG_2962.JPG

 

 

 

23. Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani) In the UK, cedar was planted in nearly every stately home and mansion from the 1740s onwards, however, it is not commonly planted now. It is a hard, durable wood. Cedar wood repels clothes moths. This tree stands on the site of the tower of the first church of St Andrew’s.  Wikipedia Entry

24. Neolitsia

24 Neolitsia IMG_2940.JPG

 

 

 

24. Neolitsea (Neolitsea sp.) Native to China, Korea, Taiwan and Japan, it is a relatively rare tree in this country. The oil in the scented leaves has anti-inflammatory properties.  Wikipedia Entry

25. Weeping Holly or Yaupon Holly

25 Weeping Holly IMG_2941.JPG

 

 

25. Weeping Holly or Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria) Native Americans used the leaves and stems to brew a drink for male-only purification and unity rituals. The ceremony included vomiting, and Europeans incorrectly believed that it was Ilex vomitoria that caused it - hence the Latin name. The only native North American plant to contain caffeine, it is the source of ‘Yaupon Tea’, still commercially available.  Wikipedia Entry

 

25 Weeping Holly leaf