Blog

We get lots of phone calls at this time of year – all asking the same questions – when is the best time to visit for autumn colour? When will the maples be at their best?...

Today I went out into the Old Arboretum, braving the rain and wind, to see how the colours were looking in our most spectacular season here at Westonbirt.

In the next few months we are due to start work on the new Tree Management Centre, as part of Phase Two of the Westonbirt Project.

On a Friday night in early October, 24 senior guides and their leaders from Mid Gloucestershire Division braved the elements, the wildlife and the dark (even the compost loo), to be the first community group to spend the night at Westonbirt Arboretum.

So for most of the past week we have been travelling through the wilds of Missouri in search of Carya seed.

We're still early into autumn colour here at Westonbirt, so for our first blog, here’s a different perspective on how to enjoy the spectacular season!...

Travelling through Missouri with our plant collectors has been an eye opener to say the least. I’ve been lucky enough to witness seed collecting in action: I’ve been given a pass into the world of the Tree Team!...

Yesterday we headed to the Shaw Nature Reserve, which is part of Missouri Botanic Garden. Here we met James Trager, Naturalist at the Shaw Nature Reserve, who joined us in our quest to find the hickory species which are found here.

Something I never thought I would do in my life is accompany a seed collecting trip. Indeed I’m not even sure I knew they still happened before I started work at the arboretum!...

You may have wondered what the pink pegs are next to the Welcome Building. Some of you have already guessed that these pegs are marking out the route of the new Treetop Walkway!...

Having arrived in Chicago on Monday afternoon, we spent a day at the marvellous Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois on Tuesday where we utilised the herbarium before heading to the living collection.

Next week, Tree Team supervisor Rich Townsend, RBG Wakehurst Place arborist Jon Harmer and I are jetting off to the United States on a rather exciting mission.

If you have ventured into Silk Wood recently you may well have noticed our Tree Team hard at work in Maple Loop, which is an area was that was once a forest research plot packed full of hybrid larch trees.

The Welcome Building has been open nearly two months now and is beginning to feel like it’s always been here.

Over the last six months I have been piloting new activities in care homes and community day care centres around the local counties.