Take a Tree-Lined Tour of London

Discover the historic urban foliage of Britain's capital

By Google Arts & Culture

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The Totteridge Yew

Our journey starts in Totteridge, in the borough of Barnet, with a tree that's older than the city itself. The Totteridge Yew was already 50 years old when the Romans first founded Londinium. 2000 years later, it stands in the grounds of St. Andrew's Church.

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Pimlico Mimosa

Along the stone-faced streets of Pimlico, you'll find this Mimosa tree. Its delicate, fragrant yellow flowers may bloom throughout the winter, bringing a dash of sunshine and perfume to the dreary British weather.

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The High Court Dawn Redwoods

Along Carey Street, behind the Royal Courts of Justice, are a row of Dawn Redwoods. This species was actually thought to be extinct until 1944, when a small group were discovered in Sichuan, China. After a successful breeding programme, they're now found all over the world.

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Lincoln's Inn Fields

Only a short walk from the Royal Courts of Justice is Lincoln's Inn Fields. This precious green space in the heart of the city is home to many different magnificent trees; Judas Tree, Cornelian cherry, Sugar Maple, and Cotoneaster to name a few.

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The Southbank Silver Birches

Outside the front of the imposing Tate Modern gallery are rows of silver birches - so-named for their gleaming white bark that shines under the sun. These carefully cultivated trees offer an elegant entrance to the gallery.

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The Wood Street Nettle Tree

On Wood Street, in the City of London, you'll find the Tower of St Albans and this lone Nettle Tree, whose leaves resemble nettles, though don't sting. These trees are rare in Britain, but increasingly popular as they thrive in the harsh, dry urban environment.

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The Hardy Ash

In a cemetery near St Pancras Station, this otherwise unremarkable ash tree is surrounded by a circle of neatly stacked gravestones. They were placed here in 1860s by the writer Thomas Hardy, when he was working as a labourer clearing ground for the new railway lines.

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The Mystery Mulberry


Did the young Tsar Peter the Great plant the mulberry tree in Sayes Court Park while studying in England? Or did John Evelyn, the 17th Century diarist and polymath who originally owned this land? The truth is lost to history, but either way it's a very special tree.

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The Wells Tavern Plane

This London Plane tree, which very well may be the tallest tree in the city, stands at the top of Hampstead Heath, just across the road from the Wells Tavern. It's weighty boughs have shaded weary walkers and drinkers for at least two centuries.

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The Royal Botanic Gardens

Of course, no tour of London trees would be complete without a visit to The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, the home of arboriculture and botany in Britain. There's nearly 2000 trees of note in these green and pleasant gardens, so why not take a wander and see what you can find?

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The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.

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