Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum

Blog - Botanical

Tree of the month - April 2015

Find out why the Japanese red maple is our Dendrologist's Tree of the Month for April...

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Tree of the month - March 2015

Find out why the Illicium simonsii is our Dendrologist's Tree of the Month for March...

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Tree of the month - February 2015

Find out why the Farrer's spruce is our Dendrologist's Tree of the Month for February...

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Tree of the Month - January 2015

Find out why the Common ash is our Dendrologist's Tree of the Month for January...

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Collections for the arboretum

In the final week of our seed collecting expedition we collected under the expert guidance of Ron Lance, who has led us to places where our target species are.

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Dendrologist Dan's spring stunners: Davidia involucrata

Posted in: Blog Botanical Spring

I have chosen to highlight this one this week as our largest, oldest specimen (close to Main Drive and Loop Walk in the Old Arboretum) is looking quite fine in bract right about now.

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Dendrologist Dan's spring stunners: Rhododendron quinquefolium

Posted in: Blog Botanical Spring

There is far too much excitement amongst the plants to attempt to mention it all here, so I shall stick to just the one today.

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Dendrologist Dan's spring stunners: radiant Rhododendrons!

Posted in: Blog Botanical Spring

Among the numerous Rhododendron species and cultivars in flower here currently, are two 'firsts' for Westonbirt.

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Dendrologist Dan's spring stunners: fantastic foliar flushes!

Posted in: Blog Botanical Spring

Amid the endless shades of green seen as fresh foliage emerges, are equally wonderful tones of pink, purple and red, as some of our trees put on a colour show equal to that of autumn.

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Dendrologist Dan's spring stunners: cheerful cherries

Posted in: Blog Botanical Spring

Some of you will know that our Prunus sargentii on Broad Drive is looking rather good just at the moment. Photographs posted to Facebook last week illustrated this nicely I took a few more this morning confirming that this is still the case!...

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Dendrologist Dan's spring stunners: awesome Acers

Posted in: Blog Botanical Spring

There is so much to excite here at Westonbirt just now - far too much to mention them all here so I have chosen to highlight just a few of the Acer species along Broad drive, which are perhaps more subtle in their flowering beauty.

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Dendrologist Dan's spring stunners: Azara microphylla

Posted in: Blog Botanical Spring

The beauty of spring is definitely unfolding at Westonbirt (even if it has turned a little bit chilly again!) and one of the many highlights is Azara microphylla, which is in flower right now.

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Dendrologist Dan’s spring stunners: Magnolia campbellii

Posted in: Blog Botanical Spring

Spring things are really getting going here at Westonbirt right now.

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Dendrologist Dan's spring stunners: eye catching catkins!

Posted in: Blog Botanical Spring

Quite a different theme this week. We are all drawn towards different things at different times, and for me, today it was the awesome Alders!...

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Dendrologist Dan's spring stunners!

Posted in: Blog Botanical Spring

Spring is springing here at Westonbirt, with our trees waking up (some before others!) and providing us with spectacular floral and foliage displays for all to enjoy.

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