Step inside the weird and wonderful world of trees
Trees have had a huge impact on human culture. The Buddha’s fig tree, the Tree of Knowledge, Newton’s apple tree - trees from nature and myth have shaped how we see ourselves and the world around us.
Trees are so ubiquitous, you might think you know everything there is to know about our leafy neighbors. But here are some facts that might surprise you...
Trees are the largest organisms on Earth
The Pando Tree in Central Utah began as a single seed and has now spread over 106 acres... that's roughly the size of 106 football fields!
...which can grow to be over 115m high! But this isn't the highest up a tree has ever been, because...
Trees have been to space
One small step for a seed, one giant leap for tree-kind. On January 31, 1971, Apollo 14 left on the third NASA trip to the moon, carrying three astronauts and 500 tree seeds into space.
Once back on Earth, these seedlings were planted across the U.S. and became known as the 'Moon Trees'.
Trees talk to each other and make friends
Just like us, trees have social networks that scientists have called the 'Wood Wide Web'. Through an underground network of fungi and bacteria they can communicate and share resources.
Trees make our lives better
Trees clean air and store carbon. They provide food, timber, fuel, and medicine. Scientists call these benefits ‘ecosystem services’. If trees were to disappear, humans would have to pay billions of dollars for these services.
But they are at risk...
Despite their critical importance to humans and ecosystems, trees are under increasing threat, with around 35% of the world’s trees at risk of extinction. Learn more about rare and threatened species with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
From the beautiful to the strange, and from the ancient to the endangered, trees encompass culture, science, art, communities, heritage and more. Here, over 100 global collections come together to offer a glimpse into this fascinating world.
Sankei-en (三溪園, Three Creeks Garden) is a traditional Japanese-style garden in Naka Ward, Yokohama, Japan, which opened in 1906. Sankei-en was designed and built by the silk trader Tomitaro Hara (原富太郎), known by the pseudonym Sankei Hara.
Kakushōkaku (鶴翔閣)
The buildings at Sankei-en were collected by Hara from across Japan, before being dismantled and reassembled at the gardens. This building, the Kakushōkaku, was Hara's original family home.
Former Yanohara House (旧矢箆原家住宅)
This used to be the private home of the Yanohara, a wealthy family in the Edo period. The house contains the original hearth, bathroom and kitchen, and the second floor houses an exhibition of Japanese folk artefacts.
Rinshunkaku (臨春閣)
Originally the summer residence of Tokugawa Yorinobu, the Rinshunkaku is considered almost as beautiful as the Katsura Imperial Villa. Divided in three sections, it was decorated by famous artists Kanō Tanyū and Kanō Yasunobu.
Sankei Kinenkan (三溪記念館)
The Sankei Memorial Museum is dedicated to Tomitaro Hara's life and to his his tireless work on the garden of Sankei. Through exhibits of letters, scrolls, paintings, and ceramics a story of the lives lived in these buildings is told.
Letter from Toyotomi Hdetsugu, 16th Century
This letter of thanks was written by the military commander Toyotomi Hdetsugu. It came into Hara's collection when it was found in artefacts found from the Rishunkaku.
Folding Fan with Poem, 16th Century
This gold and silver-decorated fan is believed to have been used by the courtier Yodo-dono. It is painted with a picture of a magnolia tree and a short waka poem.
Kyū-Tōmyō-ji hon-dō (旧燈明寺本堂)
The former hon-dō (main hall) of the Tōmyō-ji Temple, this building is an excellent example of Muromachi period (1336-1557) architecture. Originally sited in Kyoto, it was bought in 1988 and completely restored over five years.
Tōmyō-ji Three-Story Pagoda (旧燈明寺三重塔)
This pagoda was constructed in Kyoto in 1457 and originally sited at the Tōmyō-ji Temple. It was one of the earliest buildings at Sankei-en, being brought to the garden in 1914.
Yokobue-an (横笛庵)
This building is a former tea hut. Tea huts have a significant place in Japanese culture, being used as rural retreats for formal tea ceremonies, and often designed to imitate simple mountain lodges.