The Woodlands.co.uk Blog - Trees
Woodlands and Water
Everyone knows the role of trees in alleviating carbon pollution, but less well known is their ability to clean water and control flooding.
What Is Ancient Woodland?
Any woodland which has remained as woodland for the last 400 years (since 1600) is described as “ancient woodland”. Read more…
Estimating the Age of a Tree - Counting Rings
When a tree has been cut down or felled, then it is relatively easy to work out its age by counting the growth or annual rings that can be seen on the sawn-off stump.
Elder (Sambucus nigra) - Elder Lore and Elderflower Recipes
The elder is a small but bountiful tree that usually grows on the woodland edge. The tree has an abundance of history and folklore surrounding it and was long regarded as sacred, protected by the elder-mother who resided in its trunk.
Some Common Botanical Terms
Arboretum
An area where woody plants (trees and shrubs) are grown for scientific/ educational purpose, for example, Westonbirt, the National Arboretum near Tetbury in Gloucestershire.
Floor to Ceiling - The “layers” of a woodland
A brief explanation of the different layers of woodland.
Grow Your Own Truffles
Usually one thinks of collecting truffles as a solitary activity carried out in secrecy at dead of night. However it is now possible to buy trees already inoculated with truffle spores.
Sweet Chestnut
Both horse chestnut and sweet chestnut trees are common throughout the UK, though the former is presently under attack from moths, bleeding canker, drought and leaf blotch fungus. Like oak and beech, to which it is botanically related, the sweet chestnut can grow to a height of 30 metres (for basic information about the tree, see the Woodlands “Guide to Tree Identification”). Read more…