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Brad
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ley R
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Brad
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ill
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Tennis Courts
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Ave
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Av
en
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War Memorial
Ro
ad
The
Square
ial Road
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Kiosk
Av
en
5a
Ro
ad
ial Road Band
merc
Stand
Com
Toilets
Kiosk
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ale
s
8
The only native tree featured on
the trail. This tree is often confused
with Beech, of which there are many fine
examples in the gardens, although it is more
closely related to Birches. Like Beech the
bark is smooth and grey but often has vertical
snake-like marks. The leaves are finelytoothed, unlike Beech, and have 10-13 pairs of
close, impressed
veins. In spring
the tree bears
Rd
d yellow catkins
W
e
and in autumn
om
ks
distinctive hanging
an
Br
fruit with 3-lobed bracts (two short, one long).
Hornbeam means ‘hard tree’ and was named after
its exceptionally hard wood.
9a
9
Crazy
Golf
ce
o
Hornbeam (Carpinus betula)
10
Ro
ad
10a
8a
Balloon
To The Sea l
6
Prin
n
ilio
Band
Stand
v
Pa
Toilets
4
12
To The Sea l
1a
ion
vil
Pa
3
12a
oad
een
Town Hall
se
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Tennis Courts
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nu
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We
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14
Bou
13
Braid
11
Crazy
Golf
ley R
sR
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d
5
Qu
14
ue
Balloon
The pergola was installed
in 1990 to mark the
centenary of the Borough.
It was built from sections of a Victorian
veranda
salvaged
from Boscombe
precinct
Visitor
The
Place
information
Square
Gervis
centre
when the Sovereign Centre was constructed.
Pergola
Visitor
information
centre
Place
Gervis
on
ue
Ric
hm
7
The war memorial, designed by
EA Shervey, Bournemouth’s Town
Hall
War Memorial
deputy architect and dedicated
Pergola
to Bournemouth’s
fallen of WWI, was unveiled in
November 1922 by the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire.
B ou
a
N
11a
ee
ns
W
es
se
xW
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Tennis Courts
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Ave
A native of south-east USA and Mexico which
was introduced in 1681. The leaves are maplelike with five finely-toothed, sharply-pointed
lobes which, unlike maples, are alternate on
the shoot. This tree is at its best in autumn
when the leaves turn a splendid mix of yellow,
red and purple. Occasionally spiny, pendulous
fruit may be produced, which resemble those
of a Plane.
The specimen
tree here is a
fine tall,
narrow tree.
Rd
m
so
k
an
Br
d
eW
r ne
B ou
13
Sweet Gum
(Liquidambar styraciflua)
1
War Memorial
Ro
ad
START
10a
Pergola
ee
ns
The Upper Gardens run north of the Square all the way up to
Bournemouth’s boundary with Poole at Surrey Road. Records
show that the area consisted of 30 acres of wet meadow
Town either
Hall
side of the Bourne stream and was owned by the Durrant
family from 1851. The gothic style water tower was built in the
1860’s and was used to house a header tank which was fed by a
waterwheel powered by the Bourne stream. This water source
War Memorial
helped irrigate the surrounding flower beds and powered an
Pergola
ornamental fountain.
16
ad
sR
oad
Brad
ley R
o
Av
en
ue
oa
d
to walk through an area of wet
ns
R
ad
Qu
l
ee
meadow which contains Yellow
Iris, Ragged Robin, Meadowsweet and
Tennis Courts
s Pla
Gervi
ley R
o
ad
The
Square
nu
Ave
Kiosk
e
Orange Tip, Brimstone and Small
rne
Cuckoo Flower. These plants encourage
d
ial RoaTown
Hall
merc
m
o
C
Brad
Hil
on
d
hm
R ic
Ro
Bou
Tortoiseshell butterflies to the area. Also a
Visitor
information
number
of dragonfly and damselfly species
centre
War Memorial
Hil
l
can be found here looking for smaller
Kiosk
insects to feed on.
Cedar and Silver Fir trees.
on
d
Place
Gervis
Pergola
hm
The
Square
Ric
Extensive planting was undertaken throughout the
gardens in 1874. W & D Stuart of Ferndown NurseriesAvein
nu
eR
oa
Wimborne, Dorset, supplied 3,915 trees and ornamental d
ial Road
merc for
shrubs. The trees ordered reflect the Victorian taste
Com
planting exotic species, including Monkey Puzzle, Deodar
The boardwalk allows the public
W
es
se
xW
ay
Tennis Courts
15
Pri
nce
of W
ale
W
es
se
xW
ay
Qu
oad
fW
ale
ce
o
Pri
n
2
e
A native of Australia and one of
the hardiest Acacias. A member of
the Pea family it is occasionally
seen as a garden tree in the area.
It has feathery, doubly-compound
evergreen foliage and it flowers in
late winter giving a splendid display
of yellow. This tree is also known
as Silver Wattle, which is perhaps a
better name as there is a genus of
herbs and shrubs known as Mimosa.
The example here forks very low
and gives the tree a good broad
crown. It is on the left soon after
you re-enter the gardens at the
edge of an enclosed area sometimes
called Paradise.
an
Br
The area known today as Central Gardens and Upper
Gardens is shown on early maps as a stretch of
marshy valley.
nu
Ave
16
Mimosa
(Acacia dealbata)
Rd
rne
B ou
A native of China and an unusual
tree, especially of this size
(this is one of the largest in
Britain). It is a relative of the
familiar privet used as a hedge
and the leaves are similar: oval
and pointed, glossy on one side
and matt the other. The trunk is
divided almost to ground level,
it is evergreen and from mid
summer yellow-white flower
spikes develop.
It can be found immediately in
front of the play area.
d
eW
om
ks
sR
15
History of the Gardens
Tree Privet
(Ligustrum lucidum)
Balloon
In 1992 the Upper Gardens were re-furbished to provide a
variety of walks with interesting vistas and areas for passive
recreation. Shrub planting has been chosen to provide interest
at different times of the year. Differing cutting regimes help to
create a diverse range of grass habitats.
Band
Stand
Toilets
12a ‘a’ denotes second example of the
same species.
ue
ion
vil
Pa
Toilets
Ro
ad
ial Road
merc
Com
Crazy
Golf
To The Sea l
Av
en
The
Square
Place
Gervis
Kiosk
Balloon
Bal
1
Dawn Redwood
(Metasequoia
glyptostroboides)
Until discovered growing in China in
1941, this tree had been seen only as a
fossil and was deemed extinct. It was
introduced to the West in 1948. It is a
vigorous deciduous conifer with bright
green foliage turning to fantastic
colours in the autumn. Unlike
true Redwoods (Sequoia) it has
opposite shoots and leaflets.
The bark is orangey-brown and
stringy. Look out later for one of
the largest twin-stemed Dawn
Redwoods in Britain (1a) and
probably one of the earliest to
be planted here.
2
Tree Trail
This Tree Trail will take approximately 2 hours to
complete and highlights some of the trees found in
the Upper and Central Gardens.
During your walk you will surely come across other
species equally interesting and beautiful and if you’d
like to know more about them, why not think about
becoming a Tree Warden - contact us for details.
Arboricultural Team
Trees in Bournemouth Gardens, parks and open
spaces are managed by the Arboricultural team, Parks
operations. Any concerns or queries concerning these
trees can be made by contacting the Leisure Service
Arboricultural team on 01202 451682.
Tree Wardens
There is a thriving Tree Warden Network within the
Bournemouth area, run independently from, but
supported by the Council. Tree Wardens are local
volunteers who are champions of trees.
They get involved in local tree matters and take
part in practical projects associated with trees.
They work in close liaison with Arboricultural and
Parks Officers, who provide training and support.
Tree Wardens assist the officers by reporting any
concerns or issues.
They also act as a useful link between Council officers
and the general public. For more information about
Tree Wardens, and how to become one, please ring
07812 163624.
Monterey Pine
(Pinus radiata)
Native to coastal Monterey, California, it
was discovered in 1831 and grows to 35m or
more. Bournemouth is famous for its pines
and many of these are this species. They can
be recognised by their often large size and
dark rugged bark. Needles are in clusters of
3, bright green and up to 15cm long. The
cones are about 10 cm long, asymmetrical
at base and can stay on the tree for many
years. They often
grow direct from
the branches. This
pine can grow very
fast, sometimes
increasing its girth
by 5cm in
one year!
3
Caucasian Wingnut
(Pterocarya fraxinifolia)
A member of the walnut family, it is a quick
growing tree to 30m in height with a short,
thick trunk, originating from the Caucasus
and northern Iran. It was first introduced
to Britain in 1810. It can be identified
by its glossy dark pinnate leaves, up to
60cm long, with up to 23 unstalked slightly
toothed leaflets. Its most distinguishing
feature is its fruit, a
small nut, surrounded
by two semi-circular,
green wings, borne
on slender, hanging
catkins to 50cm long.
In winter the buds
are unusual in having
no scales to protect
the young leaf.
4
Coast Redwood
(Sequoia sempervirens)
A native of Oregon and California, this tree
can grow to 100m or more, and live for
400-500 years. One in California is thought
to be the tallest tree in the world at 112m,
and one felled in 1943 was aged at 2,200
years old! It is able to re-grow after being
coppiced, (rare in conifers), and its bark is
thick, red-brown, spongy and fibrous, with
broad ridges. Its needles are dark green
above with two
distinct parallel
white bands on
the underside.
The needles
lie alternately
on the shoot
unlike the Dawn
Redwood.
5
Persian Ironwood
(Parrotia persica)
9
Found as a native south of the
Caspian Sea, it was introduced in
1841. This is a small tree and is
found throughout the gardens. Its
wood is very hard with mottled
grey-brown bark and often forks
low with the branches twisting
up and outwards. In early spring red flowers
emerge from black buds but it is in autumn
when this tree really shows off. Leaves start
turning purple in late summer and then become
a riot of reds and yellows.
6
Monterey Cypress
(Cupressus macrocarpa)
From the same area as the Monterey Pine
where it is confined to two cliff tops.
Introduced to Britain in 1838 it is now a
familiar sight in this area as it is very salt
tolerant. The largest of the true cypresses,
it has plumes of foliage which are not
flattened. The bark is grey and stringy. It
has shiny brown, squarish cones up to 3 cm
across, which take two years to develop, so
there are
usually some
at different
stages of
development
held on the
tree.
7
Wellingtonia
(Sequoiadendron
giganteum)
This tree is also known as Giant Sequoia or
Giant Redwood. It is native to the western
slopes of the Sierra Nevada in the western
United States. This is a truly impressive
species, being both the world’s largest and
one of the oldest (over 3000 years old). As
it was introduced to Britain only in 1853
all the trees in this country are just babies
despite their size (up to 50m) and up to 85m
elsewhere in the world. It is identified by its
soft, fibrous thick reddish-brown bark. The
trunk is usually flared at the base. The leaves
are 8mm long and are sharp-pointed which
makes the foliage rough to the touch. The
tree here is typical in having foliage sweeping
down to ground level.
8
London Plane
(Platanus x hispanica)
This tree is one of the most common street
trees in London, hence the name. The bark is a
patchwork of grey and brown which flakes away
to reveal paler areas beneath. This allows the
tree to remove the dirt it collects. The leaves
are maple-like with five lobes but alternate.
Fruit are spiky balls which hang in groups, often
throughout the winter, which helps to identify
the tree when there are no leaves. This tree is
a cross between two other species; hence the x
in the botanic name. The tree
here is covered in burrs (bulgy
growths on the trunk). Note
how the tree has grown round
an old metal fence at the base.
River Birch
(Betula nigra)
A native of eastern North America this
birch tends to inhabit swampy ground
and riverbanks, hence its name.
Brought to Europe in 1736. Its bark
initially is a pinkish grey-brown, which
exfoliates a mass of curled papery
scales becoming thick, dark brown and
ridged with time. As an ornamental
tree they are
often cut back
to encourage
multiple stems
which shows off
its peeling bark
to excellent
effect. There
are two trees
here.
10
Swamp Cypress
(Taxodium distichum)
Native to the south-east United States,
this tree tends to inhabit swamps and
stream banks. Beneath this tree note the
woody ‘knees’ (growths from the roots),
an adaptation which helps the tree in
swampy ground. The bark is grey-brown
and thin but rough with a prominent
fluted and buttressed base. The leaves are
alternate, soft and flattened, arranged
either spreading or spirally. Specimens
of 30 metres high are not uncommon in
Britain. Unusually for a conifer this tree is
deciduous and the leaves turn red-brown
in autumn. There are another two
specimens (10a) one earlier and one at the
end of the trail.
11
Western Red Cedar
(Thuja plicata)
Another huge tree from the northwest of North America. This is not
a true cedar but is related to the
cypresses. The featured tree stands by
The Bourne. The foliage is similar to
the Monterey Cypress seen earlier but
the foliage is quite glossy, flattened
and, at 3mm
wide, broader
than other trees with similarly flattened foliage sprays.
The underside of the leaf shows dull white marks
sometimes likened to a butterfly pattern. Try crushing a
small sample – it should smell quite sweet, sometimes
likened to pineapples. A number of cultivars of this
tree have been developed and there are a number of
examples of one called ‘Zebrina’ in the gardens (11a).
This has pale yellow and green foliage. This tree is also
occasionally used for hedging.
12
Paper-bark Birch
(Betula papyrifera)
A native of North America. This tree
is notable for its bark which is a
dull white with fine dark bands and
horizontally peeling strips, used by
native North Americans for canoes. The
tree is sometimes called Canoe Birch
for this reason. The leaves are large for
a birch with relatively few veins.
A small specimen of another birch
with very white bark can be seen to
the right of
this tree; this
is a variety
of Himalayan
Birch (Betula
utilis var.
jacquemontii).