Maybe the UK should plant more....

[Squaredy]

I have a few opinions of trees which are under-valued or not planted enough.  I am no forester however, and I am very interested to find out what other people think.

 

I will kick it off with Walnut, and Leylandii (or indeed other cypresses).

 

Why do we not plant more Walnut?  Does it not grow well in our woods?  If I were a landowner I would certainly be looking into it as no other UK tree can get close to it for value.  Well, Oak parcels have in some instances sold recently for £300 to £500 per cubic metre roadside, but that is a bit exceptional.

 

And as for Leylandii there is no other tree that can rival it for rate of growth, and when grown in a forest setting it grows clean and straight and produces light yet durable timber.  The Japanese and Americans value cypress very much; why don't we?  Because we think it is just an overgrown hedge and could not possibly yield quality timber?

[nepia]

Field Maple.

[Squaredy]

25 minutes ago, nepia said:

Field Maple.

Thank you Nepia, but I was hoping posters might give reasons....  Is the lovely old Cedar by the roadside at the end of Caterham on the Hill still lovely?  If ever a Cedar was in a dodgy position it was that one...

[arbwork]

Leylandii I agree

[Squaredy]

11 minutes ago, arbwork said:

Leylandii I agree

And is that pergola built of Leylandii?

[arbwork]

all leylandii scrap from removed hedge not forest grown branchy, would normally have a job to persuade log people to take it away!  ( makes v.good logs )  I try to find more pics

[arbwork]

possible link here https://www.woodmizer-europe.com/Blog/My-Project-Contest/Project-Gallery-2015/3-jeremy-harper

[nepia]

42 minutes ago, Squaredy said:

Thank you Nepia, but I was hoping posters might give reasons....  Is the lovely old Cedar by the roadside at the end of Caterham on the Hill still lovely?  If ever a Cedar was in a dodgy position it was that one...

Well I thought you gave the reason in your original post - under valued!  But as you ask...  Field Maple is far from common enough as one of our native species, being hugely outnumbered by damned foreigners!.  It's a lovely tree to look at.  The timber of a mature specimen is awesome - such swirling grain and often pippy too.  I believe it does, or at least can, form the food for many larvae.  And it's adaptable; it makes a fine hedge as well as a stand alone tree.  I took a line of unnecessarily tall ones in my own garden (~18') down to 5' years ago and now enjoy an 8' hedge.

 

Your choice of Leyland is interesting - and enlightened.  The trees aren't wrong, it's their management that goes awry.  A mature specimen in its own space is a graceful thing.  I bow to your knowledge on the timber for functional use, I like it to burn.

 

I'll get you a pic of the Caterham cedar next time I'm passing.  I can walk to it in 15 minutes.  What was your experience of it?

 

 

Jon

[arbwork]

link here to vid

 

[Squaredy]

20 minutes ago, arbwork said:

all leylandii scrap from removed hedge not forest grown branchy, would normally have a job to persuade log people to take it away!  ( makes v.good logs )  I try to find more pics

Well done you, very nice.