Types of trees available
We have a selection of British native trees available, or nearly native - for example Sweet Chestnuts were introduced by the Romans so have been here about 2000 years We also have some deciduous trees which are trees that lose their leaves in the Autumn and some evergreens which retain their leaves throughout the four seasons. Normally we supply evergreens in the winter and deciduous for the rest of the year. The latest we can supply deciduous trees with leaves on is about mid November and at this time of year the trees will obviously be looking autumnal but nonetheless very attractive. The first leaves will appear on our trees in late February because we bring some on a little bit early by keeping them in a Polytunnel. You can choose what trees you would like. Most people leave it up to us and then we supply a mixture of whatever trees are looking particularly attractive at the time of your wedding. Some people are a bit more specific, and ask for mainly small trees, or they request a mix of for example 50% Oak and 50% others. It is also possible to e mail us a list of exactly what trees you want. Sometimes the trees are used as the basis of a seating plan so that there is the 'Oak' table, the 'Beech' table, the Lime' table and so on. They therefore order perhaps ten different types of trees and 12 of each type. If you let us know your requirements we will do our best to oblige. However if you require specific trees then it is best to give us a little bit more notice ie 3/4 months,so that we can put these aside for you and make sure we have some good examples of the trees reserved for your wedding. Below is a list of the trees we normally have with an indication as to their availablity and a little bit of information about each type of tree. Alder (Alnus glutinosa) reasonable stocks. A British n Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) reasonable stocks. Height: Up to 130ft Deciduous. A beautiful tree known as 'The Lady of the Woods' . The Ash i When coppiced , which was usually every 10 to 15 years it can live almost indefinately.The picture is from Honeypot Wood in Norfolk which is a wonderful example of a Coppice with Standard Woodland. 
Aspen This will be available from Spring 2010
Beech (Fagus sylvatica) reasonable stocks. Height: Up to 120ft This tree produces small edible nuts called masts in the Autumn. These along with acorns were formerly important food for pigs but now are mostly eaten by badgers, deer and squirrels. Crab Apple (Malus sylvestris) reasonable stocks. A native British tree but most of the trees growing wild are hybrids with ornamental apples and fruiting apples. The true wild Crab has thorns. The blossom is very attractive in Spring and the small apples have a lovely golden colour in the Autumn. However they do not taste so great, they are very bitter, but this does not seem to deter the birds and the fallen apples provide essential food for winter migrants such as Redwings and Fieldfares. Field Maple (Acer campestris) Please check availability as this tree suffers from mildew and during a wet summer it may not be available. This small tree is a British native tree, but probably only as far north as South Yorkshire. It will grow further north and it is a very attractive tree, especially in the Autumn when its leaves turn a rich buttery yellow. Holly (Ilex aquifolium) Limited availability due to it being quite slow growing. Order early if you really want Holly. This is a British native tree but it sometimes grows more like a bush especially wh Holme Oak (Quercus ilex) Sold out , more available in the winter of 2010/11 . Height: Up to 90ft Evergreen. This tree is native to the Mediterranean,but was introduced to Britain over 400 years ago. This evergreen tree has spiky leaves similar to the Holly and it is often found in coastal regions. It is very tolerant of hot dry conditions. This fine example is growing at Holkam on the North Norfolk coast. There are Holme Oaks most of the way along this coast but ironically there are none that I know of growing at Holme next the Sea. Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) reasonable stocks. A beautiful tree with delicate light green leaves. It is often planted as an ornamental. There are many fine examples around Birmingham. It is nonetheless a native British tree. It can also be used as a hedging plant as it takes clipping well. Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)This is available but all Horse Chestnuts are suffering from a disease which cause the leaves to go brown before Autumn has really started. Our trees are the same so after this year,2009 we are not goin to grow any more . We do have a few left if you really want them. Height: Up to 115ft Deciduous. Introduced from the Balkans around 400 years ago, but now it is very commonand well known for its 'conkers' which it produces every Autumn. These are soon to have a government health warning attached to them as playing the traditional game known as conkers can be quite dangerous and result in bruised knuckles. The tree also produces very beautiful flowers in the Spring, which apart from causing a little hay fever are not dangerous! Lime (Tillia cordata) good stocks. A British Native Tree which prefers chalky soils. It has delicate sweet smelling flowers early in July. The wood is similar to Ash and is also much favoured by wood carvers. Oak ( Quercus robur ) good stocks. Originally in Anglo Saxon times the Oak was important because the acorns were collected to provide vital feed for the pigs during the lean winter months. This practice was known as Pannage. Subsequently in Elizabethan times it became a major source of timber used in the construction of houses and ships.
Black Poplar ( Populus nigra) Th This is a british native tree and was often featured in landscape pictures by Constable as it used to be very common in the East Anglian countryside. There is a tree called the White poplar, which is not native and also the Lombardy Poplar which grow very tall and thin and obviously comes from Northen Italy. Lombardy Poplars are actually a variety of the Black Poplar and not a separate species, (for the purists).
This British Native tree was often planted outside houses to ward off witches. The red berries can be used to make jelly and in parts of Siberia they are fermented, and distilled to make a type of Vodka, which is very nice! However you can leave the berries on the tree and they look most attractive and will also provide food for birds like Thrushes and Fieldfares in the winter. Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) reasonable stocks. A British Native tree which was formerly widely distributed throughout Scotland and Northern England. Now in its natural form it is restricted to the Scottish highlands. However it has been widely planted by the Forestry Commission but they grow it to produce timber so it is forced up into a telegraph pole shape which is not natural, In parts of East Anglia, particularly the Breckland region it has been planted as a wind break and here it grows more naturally and can look really attractive. Silver Birch (Betula pendula and Betula pubescens). Good stocks. These are two species of Silver Birch and they both are British Native trees, one has more drooping twigs and branches (pendula) and the other has leaves covered with hairs (pubescens) Silver Birch are the first trees to colonise a neglected space as they have small wind borne seeds and they are quick growers, however they also only live for 60 to 100 years so inevi This photo was taken in the Autumn with a dark cloudy sky behind but with the sun shining on the trees. This shows up the almost pink colour of the twigs. Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa) reasonable stocks. This tree was introduced to Britain by the Romans so it is not British, but as it has been here about 2000 years we could perhaps accept that it is here to stay and be nice to it.The nuts produced by trees growing in Britain are not as big as the ones sold in the shops which come from countries like Turkey and Greece. In France this tree is often coppiced to provide wood for fuel.
Whitebeam (Sorbus aria) reasonable stocks. Height: Up to 40ft Deciduous Similar to Rowan, in that it has white flowers and red berries, but the leaves have a dense covering of hairs on the underside making them look almost white. The berries are eagerly sought by the birds and squirrels. In Lancashire they were known as Chess-apples and used to be eaten when they were half rotten similar to the Medlar. Does not sound that tempting though.
Willow (Salix sp) Limited stocks. More available from May 2010 onwards Height Variable but up to80ft. Deciduous Grows almost anywhere but likes wet places. This plant is contains Salicylic acid from which Asprin is derived.It is often pollarded which The two types of Willow tree that grow in Britain are Crack Willow and White Willow and the main difference is that the Crack Willow hase tiny hairs on its leaves. there is also the Osier Willow but this is more of a bush than a tree.
Yew (Taxus baccata) Not available at present may have some in the future. Not available at
Similar to the Holly in that this British Native Tree has male and female flowers borne on seperate trees so only female trees will produce the red berries. All parts of the tree are poisonous but birds love the sticky fruits and this is how the seeds are dispersed. The Yew was famously used in the construction of the English Long Bow. |
The Slate Barn Tel: 01366 386070
|
ative tree which prefers to grow in damp soils but will grow anywhere.This tree has male and female catkins on the same tree. The female catkins are round and green and they develop into a dark brown cone like fruit containing the small wind dispersed seeds.
s the tree that was coppiced more than any other tree in the days of the coppice with standard type of woodland. The reason is that its wood is very fine and so is easilly worked by a carpenter or wood turner and it has a nice feel to it and it also is a little bit flexible so it is less likely to shatter or crack when put under stress.
t often above 30ft. Deciduous
o 40ft Deciduous.
en it is younger. This is another tree which has male and female flowers except that unlike the Alder they are borne on separate trees, so only 50% of Hollies w
ill produce the red berries. The picture is of a rare variety with yellow berries which I photographed in Derbyshire. The berries are much appreciated by the birds and the leaves are food for the caterpillar of the Holly Blue Butterfly.
is will be available from Spring 2010 
tably they get replaced by Oaks or Beech trees. 
means cutting it back to a height of about 5 foot and then it will shoot out again. This process is carried out about every 5/10 years and will maintain the height of the tree and supply a useful source of fire wood. 
the moment.