Godinton Park and gardens promised the opportunity to admire some splendid trees, both County and National champions among them, and on a day of fine weather our good-sized group of 23, armed with a map of the gardens, was eager to get started.
Ilex Champion
Our challenge, as we had no in-house guide to assist, was to locate the trees of particular interest. To do this your chairman had consulted “The Tree Register” team, who kindly provided a map of the locations for the champion trees dotted around in the gardens and parkland.
Cortinus Champion
Acer Pseudoplatanus
Acer pseudoplatanus Kent Champion
This visit was less structured than most of our trips; the group immediately broke up into sub-groups and began to beaver away, hunting the trees of particular interest…which was not as easy as it could have been. Eventually every group had some success; one group focused on the northernmost cluster of trees, another on those in the gardens immediately around the house and a third scampered speedily from location to location, clambering over fences where necessary to “collect” the full set; well done all!
Acer Campestre Kent Champion
Acer Platanoides Rubrum British Champion
Salix x Sepulcaris Salamonii Britsh Champion
Apart from the champions, there was plenty else to enjoy – some splendid trees – a Tulip Tree amongst them, as well as the more formal gardens, some excellent topiary and a very productive kitchen garden.
Tulip tree
Populus x Canadensis Serotina Kent Champion
Populus x Canadensis Regenerata Kent Champion
A very interesting and enjoyable DIY-visit was capped in sociable and relaxing form by a cuppa and slice of cake!