Events in the centre

This year we have had several events in the centre. Seating a maximum of 60 people for a buffet supper the venue has proved popular for birthday and anniversary parties. Early evening tours followed by supper proved a big hit

The John Simmons Centre - Official Opening

Although in operation for some time, the official opening of the centre on took place on 16^th May 2007. The opening ceremony was performed by Lord Selborne, Chairman of Trustees, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.The idea,

The Arboretum Goes Travelling

Through the new Education Programme the Arboretum is getting about more

The Collection

The sources of the Arboretum’s plants fall into three main groups. Firstly the early plantings of rare and interesting trees and shrubs already in cultivation, often from historically important original introductions and mostly propagated

New in 2008.

Roy Ward and Myra Minns will be available to take guided tours on the first Tuesday of the month (times later) . The tours are free for members and last for approximately 2 hours. Come along and join the tour. Please book in advance by ringing  01653 648598 or 648650.

Winter Wellie Walks

Our thanks to Lesley and David Mather for their immensely popular walks on Boxing Day and New Years Day.

The hot punch and Lesley’s cake is much appreciated.

and a champagne tasting and supper by candlelight was voted ‘the best ever’ by its participants.

Details of hiring the centre from admin@kewatch.co.uk or 01653 648650

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by cuttings or grafting. Then there are the many attractive plants, such as the very red, Red Maple, Acer rubrum ‘October Glory’ that have been added for their aesthetic appeal, but the bulk are field expedition seed raised plants. These are the most scientifically valuable for use in research and genetic conservation.

The latter have been greatly added to by the Kew and Wakehurst nurseries, but amongst other sources we are particularly indebted to one of our Benefactors, Lord Howick, for his continuing

donations, now amounting to more than 630 expedition-sourced young plants, from his arboretum’s nursery at Howick.

The present gardens at Howick Hall have been developed since the 1920s. Then from 1985 the present Lord Howick started to collect seeds of trees and shrubs throughout the temperate world, many on joint expeditions with Kew and the Quarryhill Botanic Garden in California. The resultant 65-acre arboretum consists exclusively of plants collected from these expeditions amounting to about 11,000 specimens from 1,800 different species, and was first opened to the public last year.

In recognition of this amazing personal achievement, and Lord Howick’s help and advice to many other important gardens, he was this year awarded the prestigious Veitch Memorial Medal by the Royal Horticultural Society. So in adding our congratulations we must also say grateful thanks for his many gifts to our arboretum.             John Simmons

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

inspiration and driving force behind the new centre was John B E Simmons OBE VMH. Curator of the Arboretum, but made possible through the generosity of many benefactors, friends and members. We acknowledge also the work of Peter Marshall, OBE, who undertook the task of raising funds,

Hamish Currie who masterminded our Defra application and Castle Howard Estate who made the additional land required available to the Trust.

When John retired from The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in 1997 he came north to set up the Trust for the estate. His gentle demeanour conceals a passion for plants and a formidable knowledge of all aspects of arboriculture as well as great vision for the future.

We hope that the original founders of the arboretum, George Howard and James Russell would be proud of the efforts of

this generation.

It was great to welcome John back for the official opening of our new centre where he was joined by many friends old and new. Lord Selborne presented John with a cheque and two botanical paintings by May Townsend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

than ever! The British Association for the Advancement of Science (BA) held their annual festival in York this year and the Arboretum was involved with the Festival for the whole week, delivering our travelling Super Trees workshop to over 250 local school children at The

University of York. Many more Super Trees were created at The Great

Yorkshire Show and Countryside Days over at the Show Ground in Harrogate. I would like to thank George & Betty Pope and Bill & May Townsend for their help at the Great Yorkshire Show and especially Geoff Acomb for his hard work and enthusiasm at all of the above events, I couldn’t have done it without you!.       Katherine Forsey