Tree Appreciation Tuesday - First in the line of London Planes in Wells Recreation Ground

One evening last week as we walked from the Palace to our car, we walked through the Recreation Grounds listening to an owl hooting.  It was dark and very quiet which perhaps allowed me to take in the line of the trees which runs along this path in a different way.

Entrance to Wells Recreation Ground

The very first tree is the largest in this line, and as I walked again along the path this Sunday with my friend Jean, we considered whether this was because it was the closest to the Palace moat and had close access to plenty of water.

This Week's Tree the largest in a line

After several searches, I have found out about the history of the park as it was set up in the late 1880's led by Bishop Hervey, I also found a 2023 Survey of the trees by Ayers Forestry Ltd.  Although I am a great admirer of Plane Trees and recognised the structure of the branches, and the shape of the leaves, it did not have the usual flaking bark which epitomises the outer bark. However the Survey does list this line of trees as London Planes.

The bark on the trunk does not have the large scally plates, I am yet to learn why and whether this is the form on older trees.  I have worked out that the trees were probably planted soon after the park was formed, but of course this was on the Bishop's land so may well be older.  The survey gives the diameter as 1200mm and height as 27m.

I posted pictures on the Facebook site Britain's Ancient and Sacred Trees, and this comment described the condition of the tree:

Nick Owen

The surface of the main bole shows epicormic growth - a kind of burr like Patricial Borley says. The tree itself has been pollarded at least twice. Once when young to give a bolling and then high pollarded more recently. There are also 'doughnut' scars that suggest sporadic minor 'surgery'. It seems to have lots of friends in line astern of it, close to that building, the closeness may give rise to more surgery in future.