Rockingham castle, UK - Acer griseum

Few pics from yesterday - given the number of trees in the grounds, hill top site and the number of huge evergreen trees I’m surprised I didn’t see any that had fallen..some were situated on precarious steep banks but still standing strong.

Not sure what that last evergreen tree is..very odd..maybe Yew if some kind

 

Any idea what the tree in the 3rd photo is (the one with a smooth bark on the lower trunk and flakes above) ?

And yes, the last one looks a lot like a Taxus of some sort.

 

Wonderful with the snow drops R.

 

I believe white tree with peeling bark is a Birch of some kind.

 

Morning D. The place was covered in them..was really pretty

 

That hedge is fantastic!

 

I know it’s crazy..never seen anything like it lol there are 2 with a 10 foot gap in between..It’s Yew

 

Topiary art seems to be on the decline, people prefer more naturalistic styles, or rounded forms like the smaller hedges of azaleas like they do in Japan, more relaxing to the eye. But yew used to be a favourite for that kind of landscaping. It's kept in the parks and gardens of "châteaux" where they are a feature of this very geometric view of what a "jardin à la française" is.

 

I’ve never seen the crazy shapes before..

 

Crazy, but much more to my taste than the traditional topiaries. It must be soothing walking around, looking at them. The Zen touch... It would be interesting to discuss with the landscape gardener to hear why they chose this.

 

I agree entirely far more interesting and thought provoking than perfect symmetry!

 

Just a guess but I wonder if it could have evolved from necessity. Years ago I saw a long Pyramidalis hedge that had grown too tall and then damaged (I suppose) from a heavy snowfall that pulled some of the branches out of alignment. Instead of tying them up or cutting them off, someone just pruned around them, creating a similar lumpy appearance - not as undulating as the Rockingham Castle hedge but similar.

 

Could be.

But I don't think that in Britain there's never so much snow as to damage "pyramidal yews".

I found back photos from 2014, can't remember where it was exactly, not far from London, UK. There was an "indoor tennis court" for those who might know where the place is.

There's even a photo of the damn grey squirrel (or his brother) that bit one of my students when he gave him seeds, and we had to take him to the nearest hospital to get an injection :

 

Looks like white Himalayan birch. Currently being topped by bronze birch borer in my area, where the dominant grafted clone is 'Doorenbos'. And the damage to the naturalized (and frequently planted) Betula pendula and the native B. papyrifera is even more severe.

 

Thanks Ron - I googled Himalayan Birch and it did very much look like that..it was far more white in appearance than my poor quality photo showed..a very striking tree I thought!

 

Looks very much like Hampton Court palace, West London..I may be wrong

 

Pesky vermin squirrels!!!

 

Yes, that's it!

 

I love the free form topiary! Spectacular. And the griseum with the galanthus, really lovely.

I had guessed B. utilis or perhaps B. albosinensis. No labels? B. utilis is very variable though, as well as the very white ones we often see planted ('Doorenbos' etc, sometimes called v. jacquemontii though I don't think this is accepted) they can also be a nice brown. Lovely trees all.

 

Thanks Emery. No labels! It was bright Tippex white and some sections a lovely yellow/white..was very striking!