friends of rock road library ‘know your place’ tree …...2019/07/19  · friends of rock road...

FriendsofRockRoadLibrary‘KnowYourPlace’TreeTrailNotes,Summer20191

BeginthewalkinfrontofthemainRockRoadLibrarygates.TheLibrarysitsintheheartofanareaknownasthe‘RockEstate’.Inthelate19th-century,whentheCambridgepopulationwasrapidlyexpanding,theRockFreeholdLandSocietywasestablishedtodevelop‘asplendidbuildingestate’onfarmlandinCherryHintonparish–outsidethecityboundary.Thecompanysoldsmallplotsoflandtoprivateindividualsandbuildingfirmswhobuilthomestoliveinorsellforprofit.Someofthestreets,Blinco,Marshall&Hartington,werenamedafterRockEstateBoardMembers.Houseswereerectedpiecemealandthereislittleuniformityinthestyleofbuildings–therearesmallterraces,semi-detachedanddetachedhouses.By1892,only45ofthe500plotshadbeendeveloped.TheLibrarywasbuiltononeundevelopedplotin1935.Theareawasincorporatedintothecityaround1904-becomingsubjectto‘theheavyburdensincidentaltotownproperty!’

LocalNew

spaperAdvertisement,1884

Startbylookingacrosstheroadtoadmirethelargetreeonthepavementopposite.

ThisnativeLime(1)*wasprobablyplantedwhenRockRoad’sfirsthouseswerebuilt-soitisaround100yearsold.VictorianslovedLimes,theytolerateloppingandpruningandthesmallervarietiescontinuetobeapopularchoiceoftreeforurbanareastoday.

TurnleftandwalktothecornerofBlincoGrove.

OnthecornerisafairlyyoungornamentalBastardServiceTree(33)plantedbytheCityCouncilaround2000whenroadprioritieswerealtered;thefirstsaplingwasvandalised.Happilythisoneisflourishing.

CarefullycrossBlincoGrove,turnrightandwalktowardsHillsRoad.

TherearesevenlargeLimes(1)*oneithersideofBlincoGroveasyouapproachthejunction.Itislikelythattherewasonceacontinualrowoftreesalongeithersideoftheroad–Victoriansfavouredonetreeperhouseandchoselong-livedspecies.Councilrecordsshowthat,afterabout30yearsastreesbecametoolarge,home-ownerssoughtpermissiontoremovethem.Othertreesreachedtheendoftheirnaturallifeorsuccumbedtodisease.AspartofCambridgeCityCouncil’stree-plantingprogramme,wheretherearegrassverges,ailingtreesarereplacedwithavarietyoftreessuitablefortheurbanenvironment.

TowardsthetopofBlincoGrove,turnleftthroughthegardengateintoStJohn’sChurchgarden.Thechurch,infashionableneo-gothicstyle,wasbuiltin1897whenthelocalpopulationhadgrownsufficientlylargetowarranttheconstitutionofthenewparish.

AlongtheHillsRoadgardenboundaryarefourmoreLimes(1).TheyaremuchsmallerthantheBlincoGroveLimesastheyhavebeenmoreheavily‘pollarded’–branchesareregularlycutbacktothetrunktopreventthetreefromgrowingtoolarge.

LeavetheChurchgardenthroughmain,HillsRoad,entrancegate.

1*=ProtectedbyTreeProtectionOrder(TPO)

InNovember2018,tocelebrateNationalTreeWeek,CambridgeCityCouncilplanted44newtreesalongHillsRoadbetweentherailwaybridgeandAddenbrooke’sHospitaltoform‘thebackboneofanewgenerationoftrees’.AlongtheStJohn’svergearetwoPersianIronwoods(35)andtwoJapaneseElms(36)selectedfortheirvibrantautumncolours.ContinueinthedirectionofAddenbrooke’sHospital,pausingatthecornerofCavendishAvenue.TheroadsoffHillsRoadwereoriginallydevelopedtoprovidefamilyhomes.Inthe1870s,theUniversityfirstpermittedfellowstomarryandliveoutsidecollege,creatingademandforspacious,detachedhouses.InthegroundsoftheEFlanguageschoolareseveralmagnificent,maturetrees:aHorseChestnut(11)*,CorsicanPine(12)*,Lime(1)*,Yew(3)*andHimalayanCedar(18)*.Peterhouse,Cambridge’soldestcollege,originallyownedthelandinthisareaandmanylocalroadsarenamedafterpreviousmastersincludingHolbrook,Perne,Birdwood,BeaumontandCavendish.

Around2000,theCityCouncilreplacedCavendishAvenue’sexistingtreeswithasmallbeechvariety(25).

TurnleftintoCavendishAvenue.PauseoutsideLadyJaneCourt.SomeofthelargeVictorianhouseshavesurvivedasfamilyhomes–althoughfewacademicscanaffordtoliveinthemtoday!Somehavebeenconvertedtoflatsorforotheruses-e.g.languageschools–and,ashere,somehavebeendemolishedandreplacedbymodernhousing.

Fortunately,thedevelopersofLadyJaneCourtretainedthelandscapingoftheoriginalgardenswiththeirimpressivespecimensofLime(1)*,HorseChestnut(11)*,CorsicanPine(12)*,Yew(3),Beech(5)*,LondonPlane(13)*-withitsdistinctivemottledbark,SilverBirch(7)*andCedar(18)*.ContinuealongCavendishAvenuepausingtoadmirethetreesinthelarge,well-establishedfrontgardens.

Inthegardenofno.9AisaNorwegianMaple(44)–afairlycommontreewhichself-seeds.Atno.11isanattractive,‘cloud-pruned’nativeevergreenYewhedge(3)-despitebeinghighlypoisonous,yewsprovideanimportantsourceofchemicalusedtomanufacturethecancerdrug‘Taxotere’.Lookacrosstheroadtono.12.Theunusual,largeGinkgo(21)*islikelytobeatleast60yearsold.Ofnoteatno.13isamulti-stemmed,nativeHazel(32)whosesmall‘cob’nutsareagreatfavouritewithsquirrels–asindicatedbythenameofthehousenextdooratno.15!Inthegardenofno.15a,andfurtheralongatno.27,aretwoenormousCopperBeeches(4)*.Therearemanyexamplesofthistreeinthearea’soldergardens–evidently,Victorianslikedthemsomuchthattheychosetooverlooktheirpotentialmassivesize!Atno.17isabright-berriedRowan(24),afairlycommon,nativespeciespopularwithbirds.Furtheralong,atno.21,afairlycommon,native,evergreenHolly(27)*isparticularlyfineandhasaTPO.AtthejunctionwithBaldockWay,crossCavendishAvenueandpause.EdwardBaldockwas,accordingtocensusrecords,arailwaysignalmaninthelate19thcentury–itseemslikelythathisfamilyhaslinkstotheroadwhich,untiltheearly20th-century,wasafarmtrackalongwhichcowswerewalkedfordailymilking.

AlongthevergesofBaldockWay,theCityCouncilhas,inthelastfiveyears,plantedacombinationofMagnolia(37)andLebaneseWildApple(38).ContinuerighttowardsGlebeRoad,pauseattheHillsAvenuejunction.Theplotonthecorneroppositewasoncecherishedbykeengardener,JoyBarker.Shesoldherabundantproduce,includinghoney,fromhergate.Sincesheleftin2015,thegardenhasbeenneglected,however,permissionhasrecentlybeengivenforthecommunitytoenjoythespaceuntildevelopmenttakesplace.

OneofJoy’sAppleTrees(26)-anexceptionallylargespecimen-remainsinthegardenwith,inthecorner,aLiquidambar/Sweetgum(39)whichwillprovidegloriouscolourtheAutumn.AlongHillsAvenuevergesareHornbeams(52).Thesewereplantedinthe1970s–probablyreplacingElmsthathadsuccumbedtoDutchElmdisease.Accordingtoonelocalresident,thecanopyprovidedbythesetreeswassodensethat,duringWWII,themilitaryconcealedtanksunderthemfromenemyplanes.CarefullycrossHillsAvenueandcontinuestraightaheadalongBaldockWay.

Onyourleft,inthegardenofno.13,isasplendidSycamore(15)*.Astheyselfseteasily,Sycamoresmaybeconsideredanuisance,however,thisspecimenisimpressiveandisprotectedbyaTPO.

ContinuealittlefurtherandpauseoppositetheentrancetoTheRockAllotmentSociety.

OntheAllotments’leftboundaryarethreetallLombardyPoplars(6)*andaWeepingWillow(14)*–thesearethirstytreeswhichindicatestheprobablelocationofundergroundwater.

ContinuetotheT-junctionwithGlebeRoad.

InthelastplotonyourrightisaRowan(24)andlargeAsh(8),anothercommon,self-seedingnativespecies.Intheoppositecornergarden,twoornamentalevergreensstandout:asmall,BlueAtlasCedar(16)*andalarge,WesternRedCedar(17)*whosefoliagesmellsstronglyofpineapplewhenrubbed.CarefullycrossGlebeRoadandturnlefttowardsMowbrayRoad.

ThetreesplantedalongGlebeRoad’svergesareamixtureofSilverBirch(7)andHornbeam(52).Inthegardenofno.62isalargeWalnut(23).Squirrelsloveitsabundantnutsandhelptospreaditwidely!Immediatelypastno.50,turnsharprightdownanarrowpathpassingbetweenbackgardens.

Overhangingthepathisthecommon,self-seedingnativeElder(30).Eldersproduceabundantflowersandberriesthatmakedelicioussoftdrinksandarehighlybeneficialtowildlife.

ThepathpassesmoreRockAllotmentplots.

Ontherightisanancient,mixedhedgerowofcommon,nativetreesincludingSycamore(15),Hazel(32),Yew(3),Holly(27)andHawthorn(31).Hawthornisanexcellenttreeforsupportingwildlife-itprovidesfoodformorethan150differentinsectspeciesandbirdsloveitsredberries.

ContinuetoHolbrookRoadandturnleft–walkingtowardsMowbrayRoad.

Onthefarsideoftheroad,thegatewayatno.14isflankedbyapairofdistinctivefalseCyprusses(40).Onthevergeoutsideno.18isaWildCherry(46)butmostofthevergetreesinHolbrookRoadareBeech(28)*-young‘fastigiates’.Outsideno.2isalarger,CommonBeech(5)whichisaround50yearsold.Thisareawasonceglebeland(farmedtosupporttheparishpriest)ownedbyStAndrew’sChurchinCherryHinton.Itwasdevelopedforlocalauthorityhousinginthe1930s.NotethattreeshadnotbeenplantedwhenthisphotowastakenforabooktocelebrateGeorgeV’sSilverJubileein1935.ContinuetoMowbrayRoad,whosewidegreenvergesformedpartofthecity'snewringroad. Alongthesevergesareasmall-leavedspeciesofCrimeanLime(41).

TurnleftandwalktowardsCherryHintonRoad.CrossMowbrayRoadatthepelicancrossing.

Pausetolookleft(towardsCherryHintonRoad)toadmireacharacterfulStrawberryTree(42)*,namednotforitsattractiveredbarkbutforitsfruitswhicharepopularwithbirds.Lookingtheotherway,onthecorneroutsideno.55,isadistinctiveFalseAcacia(43)*-theblossomofthistreeismuchlovedbybees.

FollowpedestrianroutesignsviaHulattRoad.This1980shousingdevelopmentwasbuiltonlandonceusedforallotments.Therouteturnsleft,thenrightthroughapassageemergingonWulfstanWay.Duringthe1950sand1960s,theCouncildevelopedhousinghereonlandownedbyLondon’sStThomas’sHospital.

TakeabriefdetourtothelefttoenjoythewidegrassvergeswithagroupoffineTurkeyOaks(19).

TurnbackandcontinuealongWulfstanWay,towardsStJames’sChurch.

AlongthevergesaregroupsofFieldMaples(9).AroundtheChurchandtheChapelopposite,theplannershave,pleasingly,incorporatedlargegreenspaceswithsmallornamentaltrees.

Youmaytakeabreatherandrefreshmenthere,therearethreeoptions:TheCoffeeHouse;QueenEdithPub;or,ifyouhavebroughtapicnic,takeadetourtoNightingalePark.

ResumethewalkInthepublicspaceoutsidetheshops.

TreesinthepublicareasurroundingtheshopsincludeaWeepingWillow(14),reputedlyplantedincommemorationofVEDay,FieldMaple(9),Winter-floweringCherry(34),Rowan(24),BirdCherry(28)andHillierSpireCherry(34)withitshorizontal,barkpattern.RetraceyourstepsalongWulfstanWay,returningthroughthepassagetoHulattRoad.Pausehere.Althoughtherearenotreesalongtheverges,therearemanylargeevergreensinsurroundinggardens–itisdifficulttoidentifythemwithoutcloseinspectionoftheirfoliage.TurnRIGHT,passingnos.35-43HulattRoad,thenleftintothecul-de-sacsignposted45–91HulattRoad.Thefootpathturnssharplyrightbehindhousesalongapassagetoasmallcloseofbungalows.OntheleftofthepatharedenseLeylandii(47).Despitethisfast-growingevergreen’spoorreputationforcausingdisputesbetweenneighbours,manybirdsenjoynestinginLeylandiiastheyoffergoodshelter.ThecloseisarrangedaroundagroupoffourWildCherries(10)thatmustbeworthavisitintheSpring.

Followthefootpathasitturnssharpleft,emergingonMowbrayRoad.Turnrighthere,walktothepedestriancrossingandcrossover.Continuetotheroundabout.TurnleftalongCherryHintonRoad.

Therearenolargetreestoadmirealongthisstretchofthemainroad–justtwopurple-leavedtrees–anOrnamentalCherry(34)onyourleftandaPurplePlum(48)ontheopposite(north)sidewheretheCouncilhasplansfortree-plantingaspartofthenewtrafficscheme.ContinuetoHintonAvenue,carefullycrossandturnleft.HintonAvenue,ontheborderoftheVictorianRockEstatehasamixtureoflateVictorianandEdwardianhouseswithsomefine‘Arts&Crafts’examples.AlongHintonAvenueisasplendidavenueofSilverBirch(7).Mostarearound15yearsoldalthoughthereisonespecimen,outsideno.24,whichisconsiderablyolder.ContinuetotheCavendishRoadjunctionandturnright.Here,therearesomefinelarge,Victorianfamilyhomesbutthemajorityaremoremodest‘HomesforHeroes’,builtaftertheFirstWorldWarwithgenerousfrontandreargardens.Asdescribedbyreturningsoldier,RichardReiss,therewasademandforanewwayofliving:‘thecomfortlessandbadlyplannedhousewithnogardenmustbeathingofthepast–insteaditshouldbeofpleasingappearanceinhealthysurroundingsandprovideforcheerfulnessandquietrestfulness.’ContinuealongCavendishAvenue.

Inthegardenofno.48,ontheleft,abrightHoneyLocust(49)*catchestheeye.AtthejunctionwithBaldockWay,pause.

AtthecornerisastrikingAsh-leafMaple(50)*.OnthefarsideoftheroadisaWalnut(23)*andintheadjoininggarden,aSilverMaple(45)*;bothtreesareolderthanthehousesconstructedattheturnofthe20th-century.

TurnrightandcontinuetoBlincoGrove.CarefullycrosstoMorleyMemorialSchool.

AlongtheSchoolboundaryarejustthreesmalltrees:aHawthorn(31),PillarApple(51)andOrnamentalCherry(34).Twolarge,raisedbedsinfrontofthecarparkofferperfectlocationsforplantingnewtrees!

ContinuealongBlincoGroveandturnrightintothepassagewaythatrunsparalleltoRockRoadtoendthewalkattheLibrarygarden’sbackfence.

IntheLibrarygarden,thenewly-formedFRRLplantedanorchardofheritageAppleTrees(26)in2008;theirblossomandfruitaremuchenjoyedLibraryusers,thewidercommunity,birdsandbees!

Congratulations,youhavecompletedthetrail–nowitistimetocreateyourcompetitionentry!