LANDSCAPE AND GARDEN DESIGN ADVISORY REPORT

for

The Garden Committee Rosmead Garden

January 2015 [Revised July 2015]

Lucy Huntington Cumberland Court

Church Street Wye

Ashford Kent TN25 5BJ

tel : 01233 813884 e-mail : lucy@lucyhuntington.co.uk

mobile : 07860 390087

CONTENTS

Page

Rosmead Garden - proposed Management Plan

Planted Areas within Rosmead Garden 4

The Trees in Rosmead Garden 10

Existing Tree List 2014 19

Trees which should be removed 21

Appendices

I. Summary of Reports on Rosmead Garden

II. Native Trees of England

Ill. Plan to show existing trees

Rosmead Garden - Proposed Management Plan

Introduction

The layout and character of the garden very much reflects its original early

Victorian establishment although the rather formal path pattern, typical of gardens of that time, has been altered over the years. The overall impression is

of a series of open grass spaces surrounded by trees and shrubs with a clear long vista down the centre of the garden all creating a peaceful oasis in the

heart of West London.

From the recent questionnaire, circulated to all the residents, it is clear that the current layout of lawns, surrounding planting and long vista should be retained

- 78% strongly agree with this and 70% believe that there is a correct balance

between the planting and the open space. The garden is heavily used and

enjoyed by the children and although there is some play equipment 74%

strongly agree that this should be retained and updated. The children

themselves might be asked to take part in a questionnaire as to how they view the garden and what features and equipment they would like to see in the

garden. The other two questions that had a high level of agreement is the

importance of maintaining and protecting the lawns - 83%, and the necessity for

planting the borders at either end of the garden to create privacy and to reduce

noise and pollution - 83%.

The questionnaire did not ask about the importance of the wild life in the gardens but as the garden is part of an area of Nature Conservation Importance,

the needs of the wild inhabitants of the garden must be considered in all decision making.

Problems to be addressed

Despite the overall impression of a peaceful oasis there are various matters which need to be addressed if the garden is to be maintained and improved.

These include:-• A large number of large mature trees which, due to the need for constant

pruning have a rather unattractive canopy particularly the Ash and Lime

trees.

• The Horse Chestnuts are well shaped mature specimens and are an

important feature of the garden but suffer from leaf miner infestations

and in some cases Chestnut Canker and may well have to be removed in the next few years.

• There are very few replacement trees already planted to take the place of any of these trees

• The shrubs in many areas are old and mis- shapen and need rejuvenation

pruning or removal, many of them are not particularly valuable in terms

of what they add to the garden. • There is little colour in the garden after the late spring blossom; the

Victorians would almost certainly have had bedding plants in the central

bed to add colour through the summer. This is not an option, however

planting shrubs and ground cover which gives colour in summer and

autumn is - plants such as shrub roses for summer and hydrangeas and

maples for autumn all do well in the garden and more should be added. • The No Man's Land planted areas vary between being well planted and

well maintained to being completely neglected and overgrown and this

detracts from the overall attractiveness of the garden.

• At the moment the gardener is employed for about one and a half days a

week and has done a good job given the hours available. He has stated

that he would enjoy more guidance on the work programme and planting

and could probably be more productive if this was the case. • The shed, log piles and compost heaps are not well used but are fairly

inaccessible. In most cases these features are hidden in the shrubberies.

The Way Forward

In order to address these problems a strategy for managing the garden needs to

be formulated and adopted and this should include short term, medium term

and long term objectives.

Short Term Plan - 2015-2017

Planning the replanting of boundary borders A 1 and A2 by Ros mead Road -summer 201 S

Look at and decide on possible relocation of compost heaps and log piles -

summer 2015

Further survey of garden to ensure all existing trees and large shrubs acting as

trees are included on garden plan - summer 2015

Removal of Euonymus in area K and next to path by Horse Chestnut no. 42 -

summer 2015

Renegotiate maintenance agreements for No Man's Land areas - summer 2015

Acceptance of proposals for replacement and new tree planting - summer 2015

Questionaire for children circulated and results drawn up - summer 2015

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Planning the replanting of boundary borders Jl and J2 by Ladbroke Grove to

include replacement tree planting - summer 2015

Planting of borders A 1 and A2 adjacent to Rosmead road - autumn 2015

Planting of additional hydrangeas below Cherry tree - bed B adjacent to

Ladbroke Road borders - autumn 2015

Removal and replanting of any small trees in the wrong place - late autumn 2015

Planting of replacement trees in Rosmead Road borders - winter 2015/16

Removal of all poor specimen trees as soon as new tree planting agreed -

2016/ 2017 Planting up of Ladbroke Grove borders Jl and J2 - 2016, tree planting winter

2016/17 Planning and replanting triangle beds C below Horse Chestnut and D below

Weeping Willow - 2016/l 7 Planning and replanting planted areas E and F below Plane Tree and Ash tree -

2017

Continue monitoring condition of mature trees

Continue maintenance of all recently planted areas

Medium Term Plan - 2017-2025

Planning and replanting beds G below Plane Tree and H in front of large Yew

2018 or sooner if possible.

Addition of small and medium sized trees to No Man's Land where possible

Continue monitoring of all mature trees

Continue maintenance of all recently planted areas Removal of large unattractive trees where acceptable and hopefully where

replacement trees have become established.

Replanting of areas in No Man's Land with agreement of resident Complete proposed tree planting where possible

Long Term Plan 2025 and beyond This is dependent on whether the medium term plan has been adhered to as any

slippage in this will automatically become part of the long term plan. Some trees which are given a life expectancy of less than ten years will die or

need to be removed over the years and replacement trees planted from an

accepted list of tree planting for the garden.

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Planted Areas within Rosmead Garden

It is clear that the existing planted areas should not be expanded but should

remain as they are, although I would suggest that they might be reduced in size

in one or two cases to increase the extent of the lawns.

No man's land These are a valuable part of the garden and any plan must include them as part of the forward planning. At present they are defined as Individual Planting Areas

and the upkeep of the each area is the responsibility of the adjacent home

owner as stated in the Garden Rules. The rules do not include what, if any,

action will be taken if an individual owner does not maintain their area. The

result is a veritable 'hotch potch' of well cultivated areas which add to the

overall effect of the garden, some moderately well maintained areas and many

areas on which no maintenance has been carried out for some time. It may not be possible to insist that residents maintain these areas but I would suggest that if a resident refuses to carry out maintenance then this should be taken on

by the gardener. The unkempt areas seriously detract from the attractiveness of

the garden. In the Garden Rules it states that any major modifications should have the

approval of the Committee but the word major is not defined.

Three areas that need to be addressed are: -

1. Edging material - this seems to be variable although the Garden Rules

state that ceramic rope tile edging is the preferred material and that a low brick retaining wall may be permitted and this is obviously necessary in areas where the soil in the bed is well above the path level.

2. No trees to be added unless part of the tree planting plan - trees probably should remain the responsibility of the Garden Committee both in removal and planting. This needs to be made clear to the residents if

not already accepted

3. Shrubs and herbaceous plants to be planted should be those found on the plant list for the garden (this needs to be part of the next stage of

garden planning) and plans for each area submitted for the committees

approval as I believe happens at present.

Beds and Borders within the garden proper

There are altogether ten planted areas within the garden, most of which need

attention and they are labelled as A to K on plan no. 1405/ 1 A. Areas A and J are

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each subdivided into A 1 and A2 and J 1 and J2, as both A and J need to be

considered as a whole and not as two separate areas.

A. Border next to new railings on Rosmead Road This large border is divided into Al and A2 by the central path to the gate. The

fence is to be replaced and the supporting wall rebuilt in 2015 and this will

result in the removal of some of the existing screen planting. This includes a

leggy, thin beech hedge and a Hawthorn - tree no.97. The building works will

inevitably lead to some damage to the existing planting but apart from the trees

most of the existing planting is not of much value.

A 1 - There are no attractive trees in this border and the only reasonable tree

Hawthorn no. 97 will have to be removed to allow for the wall construction. The

only good sized evergreen shrub is a pyracantha. For immediate screening

through the new railings a hedge planting of Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

is suggested, planted against the new wall. This will give a solid evergreen

screen at this end of the garden. There is room for at least one new large tree to

be planted and possibly 2 medium sized trees plus smaller ornamental trees and large shrubs including evergreen shrubs. Interesting ferns and other ground

cover plants needed to be added at the front of the border.

A2 - Care will need to be taken to ensure that the existing large Ash - tree

no.94, a well grown pittosporum - tree no.93 and a large Cotoneaster are not

damaged during the construction. The remaining trees give a partial screen to

the interior of the gardens but are all rather old and not in good condition.

What are needed are 1, possibly 2, additional large trees to create the high

screen, 2 medium sized trees to give screening at a lower height and then large

shrubs to complete the screening. Some of the poorer trees will need to be removed to allow space for these new trees. The proposed cherry laurel hedge

should be continued along the boundary wall at the back of the border. The privet hedge along the path is too thin to provide a screen and restricts access

and views into this bed; it should be removed and some large shrubs or small

trees planted near the path to give seasonal colour and interest. There is

probably room for 10- 12 evergreen shrub as background planting and some

more colourful deciduous shrubs in the foreground with a carpet of ground

cover plants.

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One of the reports suggests terracing these beds which would certainly help to retain moisture but I am not sure if this is really necessary although it should be

considered in the re- planning of these areas

ACTION Planting plans need to be drawn up for these two areas during 2015 so that they can be implemented as soon as the construction phase is complete.

B. Area below cherry - tree no. 96

This is an attractive small bed with a central cherry tree and mostly filled with

hydrangeas. It would be even more attractive if all the shrubs other than

hydrangeas were removed and replaced with more hydrangeas. This is not a

very large job and might be included in the replanting of borders Al and A2

ACTION Consider including in plan for borders Al and A2 in 201 S

C. Island bed with horse chestnut - tree no. 83, and climbing frame

The horse chestnut is the major feature of this bed which includes a small tree a

large privet, viburnums, hebes, elaeagnus and dogwoods; also a standpipe with

tap. The area is well used by children and any replanting will need to allow for

this.

ACTION - leave for the moment but check for any essential pruning that needs

to be done

D. Island Bed with weeping willow - tree no. 79

The weeping willow is the central feature of this bed which includes a large box and a philadelphus. The bed is edged with logs and includes a wood pile which

needs to be substantially reduced or removed . The size, distribution and positioning of log piles to support insects and other creatures needs to be

planned for the garden as a whole rather than randomly.

ACTION - reduce log pile in 2015 and consider replanting this area when more

urgent areas have been completed

E. Bed centred around large ash - tree no. 108

This bed is thickly planted with a fallen fig at the western end, two lime trees, a

weeping willow and a wych elm to the south, an ash in the middle and a holly to

the east. The shrub layer includes, hebes, physocarpus, cercis, cotoneaster,

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mahonia, fuchsia and callicarpa some of which have been planted fairly recently. Eventually it will need sorting out but can be left for the moment.

ACTION - leave for the moment but check for any essential pruning that needs

to be done

F. Large bed with large ash - not listed in tree report

There are several trees in this bed including a Mulberry - tree no. 76, a

laburnum - tree no. 75 and a wych elm - not listed, a medlar - not listed, a holly - not listed and a very large ash - not listed. The shrub layer includes several large laurustinus, euonymus and Lilacs. There is a very large white solanum

which was an amazing sight in early November.

ACTION - leave for the moment but check for any essential pruning that needs

to be done

G. Triangular bed below plane tree - tree no. 16

This bed contains a variety of large shrubs and small trees many of which need to be drastically pruned or removed in order that the better quality shrubs like

the magnolia and camellia have room to grow. Some of the shrubs deserve to be

kept but need hard pruning like the elaeagnus and viburnums. The laburnum needs to be removed but there are a yew, a tree peony and a hypericum that

need looking at carefully. The weeping pear is an attractive corner feature. I

have included this bed in the medium term plan but it needs some immediate

remedial action to stop it deteriorating

ACTION - immediate pruning of some shrubs and removal of laburnum prior to

medium term replanting if necessary

H. Triangular bed in front of large yew - tree no. 53

This bed is full of large shrubs and small trees all competing with each other for

space. They include laurustinus, camellia, viburnums, philadelphus, lilac,

hydrangea, variegated Holly plus a weeping pear, rowan tree, hawthorn and

elder. Hopefully the dangerously overhanging Laburnum tree no.52 has now

been removed.

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ACTION - immediate removal of laburnum if not already done and the large

elder tree no. 41 . Ensure camellia is given space and prune back some of the

larger shrubs.

I.Newly planted area under holm oaks

This large bed has recently been replanted and is very much how the other planted areas need to be planted in the future. There could be a few more

evergreen shrubs added to assist the screening of the gate to Ladbroke Grove.

A path has been created through the middle of the bed which will allow ease of

access for maintenance and allow residents to explore the area more closely.

ACTION - keep on top of weeds in 2015 as new plants become established

J. Border against boundary railings to Ladbroke Grove

This large border is divided into J 1 and J2 by the central path to the gate. Both

borders have a recently planted cherry laurel hedge to provide a screen to outsiders. This hedge will need to be fed to encourage growth and to have any

unnecessary plants removed which are in the way.

A report was prepared for this border in 2003 with planting suggestions but I

suspect no plan, without which it would be impossible to know how to proceed .

Some, but not all , of the plants listed would certainly be suitable for planting in

this border.

Jl - This border includes the shed for the mower and compost/ rubbish areas. The shed is well screened by the yews on either side but the compost/ rubbish

area urgently needs sorting out as it is very visible to residents visiting this part

of the garden . There are two lime trees and a holm oak which will make finding

space for replacement trees difficult. The bed needs almost complete clearance of the existing shrub and herbaceous planting and then replanting to provide

screening, noise and pollution reduction and to give interest throughout the year.

ACTION - remove any shrubs close to new hedge immediately and tidy up

rubbish / compost area. Prepare planting plan in 2015 for implementation in

autumn 201 5 / spring 2016

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J2 - This border is dominated by the horse chestnut and lime with very little of

value in the shrub layer except a box and a holly which need rejuvenation

pruning. As for Jl the border needs almost complete clearance of the existing

shrub and herbaceous planting and then replanting to provide screening, noise

and pollution reduction and to give interest throughout the year.

ACTION - remove any shrubs close to new hedge immediately and tidy up

rubbish/compost area. Prepare planting plan in 2015 for implementation in

autumn 2015/spring 2016

K. Area under aged hawthorns This bed is under two old hawthorns - trees no. 1 0 and 11 and a large privet.

The understorey is rampant euonymus which should be removed completely.

The three trees then need shaping up by careful pruning.

ACTION - remove euonymus in 2015 and prune trees to create an attractive feature

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The Trees in Rosmead Garden

Introduction

The trees within the grounds of the Rosmead Gardens provide an attractive

backdrop to the lawns and give some screening to the houses on either side of

the garden and the two roads at either end. They, more than any other feature,

create the atmosphere of the garden. Their importance cannot be over

emphasised and their continuing existence must be a matter of concern for the

future.

History of the trees in Rosmead Gardens

The Garden was created in the mid 19th century and certainly many trees would

have been planted at this time and it is interesting to postulate which of the

trees seen today may date from this original planting - a few of the very large

trees perhaps, although most of them are almost certainly younger and some of

the trees have been planted very recently.

There is not much documentation before the 1939- 45 war but since then various reports on the gardens have been commissioned over the years, some

with accompanying plans, and it is possible to trace what has happened to the

gardens in the last seventy years. I wonder if the ash trees were self sown

seedlings which grew into trees during the war years - they would appear to be

about the right age.

Two notable events in the last SO years which affected a lot of gardens were Dutch Elm disease in the 1970s and the hurricane of 1987, I assume the gradual

reduction in the numbers of elms is a result of the former but it would be interesting to note if major trees were lost in the hurricane. Having talked to one

or two of the long term residents it would appear that no trees were lost in the

hurricane.

What is clear from the reports is that the Rosmead Garden committee have

taken their responsibility for tree health and safety very seriously with the result

that the trees do not present a potential hazard to the users of the garden. The

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only caveat to this is there are several laburnums in the garden which are

poisonous and the seeds are very attractive to children and should be removed.

The situation today

The Garden is an attractive open space which is clearly utilised and enjoyed by

the residents and it retains the general feel of the Cl 9 garden as a 'pleasure

ground' in which to walk and relax. The long vista through the garden is an

important feature and needs to be retained and perhaps enhanced by removal of

a few trees. The open lawns are important areas as they bring light into the

garden and allow the residents to enjoy the sun. These areas should not be

encroached on by any additional tree or shrub planting and might even be

enlarged by removal of unattractive small trees and shrubs at the lawn edge.

Any additional planting should be within the already planted areas or the perimeter of the lawns.

However there are several other items which should be addressed and these

were first outlined in the 1965 RHS report namely:-

• The rather large number of large trees which create considerable shade

and are not particularly attractive due to constant tree surgery. I would

include most of the limes and ash trees in this comment.

• The possible poor quality of the soil, London soils need to be constantly

fed with humus - I have not checked the current state of the soil but I

suspect that much more feeding is necessary particularly with recently planted trees and shrubs.

• A number of very poor trees particularly the damsons, flowering cherries

and laburnums • A large number of overgrown shrubs which need rejuvenation pruning or

removal, to this I would add that many of the shrubs are of limited

interest i.e. those which have flowers in the spring but are rather dull for

the rest of the year. Future choice of shrubs should include those which

flower for a long period or are interesting for most of the year.

• The garden is lacking in colour - I have only viewed the garden on two occasions and cannot confirm this but I suspect it is still true today

ll

The range of trees within the Garden

A list of the existing trees is given as an attachment to this report and

discounting the 6 shrubs being listed as trees there are at least 42 different

trees and, as the list groups 11 flowering cherries as one type of tree, there may

be 11 different cultivars and so the list might increase to 53 different trees.

Of these 42 trees :-

9 are large trees capable of growing to over 20m in height 12 are medium sized trees capable of reaching between 12m and 20m in

height

21 are small trees which do not exceed 12m in height and many of this group

are smaller than this

Selection of replacement trees

Before selecting replacement trees it is necessary to consider the part trees play

in the design of our landscapes and gardens. There are basically four ways in

which trees are used in design and these are:-

A. Structural planting

Structural planting includes using trees:-

• to provide a screen to unsightly views within or beyond the boundaries.

• to provide a screen to give privacy from neighbours - it would be

interesting to ask residents whether they feel this is necessary, the

screening of the private gardens may be an important consideration and could be achieved by the use of small trees and shrubs if it is considered

an important factor

• to create shelter from wind - the houses do this but without the trees the garden might create a wind tunnel

• to provides a background to garden features - not important in Rosmead

Garden at present

• to create spaces e.g. trees encircling grass areas - to a certain extent the

purpose of the trees around the four lawns. The three weeping willows

were planted to provide a visual link between the lawn areas.

• to create lines of design e.g. an avenue - not a feature of Rosmead Garden

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B. Focal point planting

Trees can be used either

• as a focal point at the end of a vista - the large plane tree at the western

end of the garden does this. Within each lawn several of the larger trees create focal points across the lawn

• or to frame a focal point - a pair of trees could be used either side of the entrance gates

C. Ornamental planting

These are trees planted to add colour and interest by:-

• variation in leaf colour e.g. bronze or golden leaved trees but these need

to be used very carefully as they can disrupt the generally peaceful

atmosphere of the gardens.

• attractive blossom e.g. cherry trees, magnolias, crab apples

• interesting fruit e.g. medlar

• winter bark e.g. birch and snake bark maples

D. Functional Planting

These are trees chosen to fulfil a need rather than as part of the design,

however they need to be considered in the overall design of the garden or landscape; they include trees selected:-

• to provide food and shelter for wildlife - this is an important

consideration for this garden as it is part of an area of Nature

Conservation Importance.

• to provide shade - they certainly do this - perhaps providing too much

shade

Trees should never be planted randomly but should always fulfil one or more of these purposes, an, by knowing the role that the tree will play then a suitable

species can be selected. All trees, whatever their purpose in the design, should

be first selected for suitability as to the soil, aspect and drainage of the site so that they will grow well.

Trees for structural planting should be first selected for their vigour and ability

to thrive. Native trees are adapted to our climate and soils and often, but not

always, are the logical choice for many screens and shelter belts. The potential

ultimate height of the tree needs to be considered in relation to the desired

height of the screen, shelter belt or background, forest sized trees where

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screening a block of flats and medium sized trees where screening low buildings. Trees which are fast growing are obviously to be preferred where a

quick screen is important but these trees are also likely to be short- lived and so

speed of growth is of secondary importance to the canopy effect of the tree.

Round headed trees are frequently selected as these trees make a wider screen

than those with more upright shape. An evergreen screen may be considered

essential, and as there are few suitable evergreen broadleaf trees, then a coniferous tree may need to be selected.

Trees for focal point planting need to stand out to catch the eye by virtue of

their colour, size, shape or habit. A mature copper beech is a good example as

is the cedar of Lebanon with its dramatic horizontal branches. In Rosmead

garden the plane and horse chestnut trees are the most noticeable focal points.

Trees for framing are chosen in relation to the size and style of the focal point,

if this idea is followed for the two entrance gates then a pair of upright yew trees might be appropriate.

Trees for ornamental planting are chosen for their leaf colour, flowers or fruit

and , on occasion, all three. Vigour may be less important particularly where the

tree is part of a bed or border. The cherries, crab apples, magnolias and

amelanchier provide a good selection for ornamental planting. For a less

obviously ornamental area then the smaller maples provide interest for much of

the year.

Trees for functional planting must be chosen for the desired purpose and,

where wildlife is to be encouraged then, our native trees should be selected in the first instance - see list in appendix II attached to this report

Replacement trees

The following trees could be planted in Rosmead Garden when further tree

planting is considered

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large Trees Acer platanoides Norway Maple - a reliable tree and not too large with

lovely yellow autumn colour which does well in London gardens

Aesculus indica Indian Horse Chestnut which appears not to be susceptible to leaf minor, and more resistant to chestnut canker than A.

hippocastanum

Fagus sylvatica

at present

Liriodendron tulipifera Platanus x hispanica western boundaries

Beech Tree - there are no Beech trees in the garden

Tulip Tree - one has been removed in recent years Plane Tree - definitely for adding to eastern and

Platanus orientalis Oriental Plane Tree - a rather more interesting plane tree and could be planted as a replacement focal point tree

Quercus robur Oak - the one planted recently is doing well and one or two more might be considered as they are the tree with the largest number of

insects and other wildlife

Tilia cordata Small leaved Lime - there is one in the garden already

but this is the best alternative to the common lime Tilia x europaea

Medium Trees A/nus incana Italian Alder - this has a more attractive leaf than our native alder, the cone- like fruits are an attractive feature in winter

Carpinus betulus Hornbeam - there is a young hornbeam in the

garden which is growing well and more could be added

Cercidiphyllum japonlcum Katsura - there was one in the garden that has been

removed, perhaps another could be planted.

Fraxinus ornus attractive flowers

Manna Ash - an attractive small ash tree with

Gleditsla trlacanthos Honey Locust - there is already one growing well and

more could be added in the No Man 's Land as it is a good camouflage tree but

only creates a light shade. Infinitely preferable to the False Acacia which it

resembles

Liquidambar styraciflua Sweet Gum - there are already two in the garden but

again this is a good tree for No Man's Land and has brilliant autumn colour

Ma/us tschonoskii This is one of the larger Malus spp. and has a

rounded head, apple blossom, small fruits and autumn colour

Parrotia persica A lovely tree with autumn colour and interesting flowers in winter, as it does tend to spread it may not be suitable

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Prunus avium 'Plena' Double flowered Gean - this may already be in the

garden as it was not possible to identify most of the cherries in the late summer

and autumn. An improved form of our native cherry which does very well in

London gardens.

Pyrus cal/eryana 'Chanticleer' A pear tree with shiny foliage, early blossom,

autumn colour and a neat shape.

Sorbus 'Joseph Rock' A mountain ash with a neat shape and yellow fruits

that last well into the winter

Small Trees Acer davidii Snake Bark Maple - there are a range of small ace rs

which would be suitable but this is one of the best

Amelanchier arborea There is one very poor specimen in the garden but it

really is worth planting more as they have early blossom, attractive summer foliage, autumn colour and never get too big

Cydonia oblonga Quince - a small tree with lovely blossom, large

leaves and quince fruit, well worth including in the garden

Ma/us x zumi 'Golden Hornet' There are several crab apples in the garden and

this one may be already present but there are a range of interesting other Malus

cultivars which would do well

Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis' Winter flowering cherry - There are a couple in

the garden but one is very ancient and the other planted in the wrong place,

every garden needs a tree that has winter blossom.

Selection of trees with consideration to the potential effect of global warming

Although not having much noticeable effect on our trees at the moment - there is enough documentation to indicate that global warming will be a fact in the

future and whilst planning the trees for the next 1 00- 200 years it would be

sensible and prudent to look at the selection of trees with this in mind .

Our major trees throughout the South of Britain are the Oak and the Beech and

both need to be part of the tree strategy for the future , however, there are other

trees which will tolerate a warmer, drier climate and these include:-

Castanea sativa - the Sweet Chestnut A large handsome tree which was

introduced by the Romans and has been planted here ever since.

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Platanus orienta/e - Plane Tree This species thrives in the hot summers of the Mediterranean and can withstand periods of low rainfall.

Tilia cordata - the Small Leaved Lime A large native tree which does not

dominate our landscape but loves a hot, dry climate so a very good choice for

future planting. It has limitations of being attractive to bees and producing

epicormic growth but, as already mentioned, probably the best Tilia for future

planting.

Tilia 'Petiolaris' - the Silver Lime Another possible Lime with larger leaves and a

more attractive shape than Tilia cordata and with less suckers but it is attractive to aphids and it may be toxic to bees . There is one in the garden already but

possibly room could be found for a replacement to this tree.

In considering the medium sized trees - important as screening and background

trees - there are several which might be planted and these include:-

Jug/ans regia - Walnut A tree native to Southern Europe and long grown in

Britain. It is a handsome tree but needs room and produces it leaves late in the season and then has an early leaf fall which makes it less useful in most

structural planting. There is a single specimen in the garden but more could be

planted .

Fraxinus ornus - Manna Ash Another tree native to Southern Europe and which

has proved useful as a street tree. Much more attractive than Fraxinus

excelsior. Should be considered for planting in the future.

We also have room for smaller, more ornamental trees, to add interest and these

might include:-

Arbutus unedo - the Strawberry Tree An evergreen tree which is found as a native in Southern Ireland and which will enjoy a warmer climate. Attractive flowers and fruit make this a very useful small tree for ornamental planting.

Prunus dulcis - Almond This tree blossoms very early in the spring and then,

after hot summers, produces almonds. It has been grown in this country for

centuries but it grows more happily in southern countries where the weather is

warmer.

Olea europea - the Olive Often quoted but not really suitable unless we no

longer have winter frosts . Its olive green leaves can look 'out of place' with the brighter green leaves of the other trees in the garden.

17

Conclusion

The trees within Rosmead Garden provide the basic structure of the garden and

are a vital part of the appeal of the garden. Not only do they form an attractive green background and screen the adjacent roads but they also bring a sense of

scale given the height of the neighbouring houses. Whilst there are plenty of

trees in the garden at present, many are over mature, unattractive or of little

visual value. A list of 18 trees that are about to be, or should be, removed from

the garden is part of this report. Many of these will not need to be replaced but

will leave room for replacement trees for tree losses in the future. This report

has looked at past problems, put forward ideas for appreciating the range and state of the trees currently in the gardens and addressed the need for greater

care to be taken in selecting the most suitable trees for planting in the future.

18

Existing Tree List 2014

Notes: 1. This list is compiled of those trees on the ACS tree report 2013 plus

some, but not all , of those found in the gardens in October 2014

2. The trees listed include some of the recently planted specimens

3. Some trees are listed as spp. These are still to be identified as to

species and / or cultivar 4. The trees as yet not listed will be added in 2015

Broad leaf Trees

No.

2

6

1

9

1

12

1

2 l

6

1

8

5

2

2

2

1

2

1 1

Name

Acer japonicum

Aesculus hippocastanum

Ailanthus altissima

Amelanchier lamarckii

Betula pendula Carpinus betulus

Cercis siliquastrum

Crataegus laevigata 'Paul's Scarlet'

Crataegus monogyna

Crataegus oxyacantha

Davidia involucrata Ficus carica Fraxinus excelsior

Gleditsia triacanthos

llex aquifolium

Juglans nigra Laburnum spp.

Laurus nobilis

Liquidambar styraciflua Malus spp.

Matus domestica

Mespilus germanica

Marus nigra

Platanus x hispanica

Prunus spp.

Prunus avium

19

Japanese Maple

Horse Chestnut

Tree of Heaven

Birch Hornbeam

Judas tree

Hawthorn

Hawthorn

Midland Hawthorn

Handkerchief Tree Fig

Ash

Honey Locust

Holly

Walnut Laburnum

Bay Tree

Sweet Gum

Crab Apple

Apple

Medlar

Mulberry

London Plane

Flowering cherries

Gean

9 Prunus domestica 2 Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis '

1 Prunus x yedoensis

3 Pyrus salicifolia

3 Quercus ilex

l Quercus robur

5 Robinia pseudoacacia

3 Salix x sepulcralis var. chrysocoma

Sorbus aucuparia

Tilia cordata

9 Tilia x europaea

Tilia 'Petiolaris'

4 Ulmus glabra

1 Ulmus parvifolia

Shrubs listed as trees

2 Buxus communis

2 Cotoneaster spp.

4 Corylus avellana

Ligustrum japonicum

Pittosporum tenuifolium

Sambucus nigra

Coniferous Trees

Gingko biloba

7 Taxus baccata

20

Damson /wild Plum Winter Flowering Cherry

Silver pear

Holm Oak

Oak

False Acacia

Weeping Willow

Rowan

Small leaved Li me

Lime

Silver Lime

Wych Elm

Chinese Elm

Box

Hazel

Privet

Elder

Maidenhair Tree

Yew

Trees which should be removed

Trees which are about to be removed due to danger or reconstruction of the

western boundary

52 Laburnum leaning over path, due for immediate removal

97 Hawthorn

Sub- total 2

removal due to rebuilding of boundary

Small trees, poor specimens which need to be considered for removal as soon

as new tree planting is agreed

3 Damson leaning, poor specimen

8 Winter flowering cherry poor specimen, too close to adjacent Oak 12 Laburnum

13 Crab Apple

14 Hawthorn

18 Laburnum

25 3 no. Hawthorn

47 Elder

48 Hawthorn

62 Flowering Cherry

75 Laburnum 87 Winter flowering cherry

92 Laburnum

Sub- total 1 5

poor specimen, remove to allow room for

adjacent camellia, poisonous could be risk to children

a poorly shaped tree suppressing the

adjacent holly

smothered by ivy, one sided

leaning tree of little value and as poisonous

could be risk to children

scruffy, remove to allow new hedge room to

grow

poor specimen, remove to allow planting of significant tree

poor specimen, remove to allow planting of

significant tree bad bark wounds, poor specimen

very poor specimen ; poisonous very old and mis- shapen.

very old tree of little value, poisonous.

Trees which are dying or potentially dangerous and will need to be removed in next ten years

42 Horse Chestnut dying tree with canker

21

Appendix I.

Summary of reports on Rosmead Gardens

Note: LHH comments added 2014

1954 Tree Schedule and Map

Front Garden trees

Tl 1 no. Weeping Ash

T2 1 no. Ailanthus T3 no. Beech

T4 no. Sycamore

TS no. Lime T6 1 no. Lime

T7 1 no. Ailanthus

TB 1 no. Horse Chestnut

Trees within Rosmead Gardens

8 no. Lime 5 no.Ash

11 no. Elm

2 no.Ailanthus

2 no. Yew l no. Box

1 no. Thorn

Groups of trees in front gardens

3 no. Lime 1 no. Robinia

2 no. Sycamore 7 no. Lime

l no. Gleditsia

83 Ladbroke Grove 83 , Elgin Crescent

85, Elgin Crescent

97, Elgin Crescent

109, Elgin Crescent

111, Elgin Crescent rear gdn

11 5, Elgin Crescent front gdn

115, Elgin Crescent rear gdn

101 - l 05 Elgin Crescent 101 - l 05 Elgin Crescent 101 - 105 Elgin Crescent

71 - 79 Elgin Crescent

71 - 79 Elgin Crescent

Interesting for record of front garden trees but there must have been more tree<; within

Rosmead garden

1965 August RHS report

This report notes the following problems with the gardens:-l The large number of large trees - __ .... _ I

1

2. The poor quality of the soil which needs feeding with both humus and fertilisers,

Blood, fish and bone is recommended which is still one of the best of the organic

fertilisers - .......... _ ... L~.: ..:!1... •.• c. .. _ ....................... -;,..,"", ............... t ..... 1...,, .... .J, dl n -~ ·o improve the sorl quality

3. The children "'

4. A number of very poor trees · •1 true today

5. Great number of scruffy shrubs - still true today 6. Garden is lacking in colour - , _

The recommendation was to burn any waste material and mix the bonfire ash with soil

and use as a soil dressing

Suggestions are given for new shrub plantings including Berberis, Cotoneaster,

Buddlejas, Philadelphus, Weigela and Cytisus. - . . . .., " -::i::i--··-.. - for L ..._ .1o.L .... I LI ,.

Shrub roses are also suggested for one of the beds with three flowering cherries which

would be very colourful for much of the year.

1993 Extract from Borough Ecological Survey 1993

Ladbroke Estate Garden Complex The gardens facilitate movement of animals between the gardens which effectively

allows the gardens to be considered as one private park. They include mature trees

dating back to mid nineteenth century. London Plane and Lime are dominant but there

is a great variety of other species notably ash and turkey oak. o ·~·. _, ...... 1 ..

c Dense planted shrubberies of mostly exotic species but holly is common and there are

frequent large hawthorn bushes. - " , , • __

The gardens have a good variety of breeding birds. Species infrequent in inner London

which probably breed here include;-

Spotted Flycatcher

Tawny Owl

Long- tailed Tit

Great spotted Woodpecker.

Pipistrelle bats have been seen and regular mammals include fox and hedgehog. Holly

Blue butterflies probably breed in the garden.

,,,. ·-· 7 .:i,_, ___ ;:J - -·· ·-"eJ __ .... 1e a problem

An attached Paper on the Scheduled Sites of Nature Conservation Importance includes:-

Ladbroke Estate Gardens

- Increase planting of native tree species particularly oaks, ash and willows

and native shrubbery. Leave some grassland uncut during June to allow seed set of

(wild) flowers. Install bat and bird boxes. Retain leaf piles for hibernation sites to

encourage hedgehogs to return. Create ponds if there is an interest, wherever open waters would not be a risk to children.

__ --· :.. ·- ·-·- • ··::i --· ___ ird boxes if not already pre!>ent, ledf piles fine

and already there are log piles. Encourage wild life until unless reduces enjoyment of the gardens

1995 October Planning Report

Includes a useful plan showing location of most of the trees and the report has

suggestions for future management of the gardens including a plan to show potential planted areas.

- , _.:ord of the trees and large shrubs actinq as trees from 20 years ago. The trees are listed and numbered using the common names of trees alphabetically

which makes finding the trees on the plan quite difficult. Where possible the numbers

of the trees In this report have been added to our tree survey.

1997 July Les Moore

This report covers the areas of shrub planting and potential replanting. Main points:-

Regular pruning of shrubs needed to retain shape and encourage new growth -

• Planting of cheap shrubs to fill beds - ::>oor idea and the result can be seen m j

• Recommended taking cuttings - --.&.: __ • ....

• Recommended rebuilding steps at the entrance gates need to look at this

• Recommended more Camellias and Hydrangeas - .i· __

• Recommended planting ferns - l

• Recommended adding more interesting trees including Medlar - Medlar planted

Undated

-···~ ·- . -~ ... _. ---"'' '!::'

Trees, shrubs and climbers for replanting east

and west ends of Lansdowne/Elgin Gardens

This consists of lists of plants to be planted in these areas including numbers to be planted

Lists include:-Forest trees - Horse Chestnut and Robinia - 1e1ther of wh1<.h I would recommend

Small trees - ~- .. ·- -· --- .. ___ -· .. _ ---- ... on and includes Laburnum which is

"' .............. J~ .. ~i.d Magnolia campbellii which needs acid soil and grows into a large

• Hedging plants - Beech - Ok but not as good screen in winter as evergreen I, .. I., __ ech hedge along Rosmead Road boundary

• Climbing plants - ncludes Russian Vine which is high ly invasive, Vitis coignett1ae ........

• Large evergreen shrubs - very dull list with some glaring oddities e.g. Senecio

• Large deciduous shrubs - very mixed selection and at least one (Pieris) is

l e Small shrubs - agam very mixed, some needing sun, some shade, some acid soil

~ .. ~ ~ ............ ~I .. ncorrectly spelled which perhaps indicates a lack of plant

knowledge

Conclusion - ignore

1 998 January David Brown Tree Condition Survey

This report looks at the condition of the larger trees in the garden, 44 in total using the

tree numbers given in the 1995 planning report

He categorises the trees into 4 classes adapted from BS5837: 1991 Class 1 being a

vigorous healthy tree and class 4 dead or structurally dangerous . , ---· -· ..... _ -,....-·'. ·- ... -- ·-· - - ·- - -·· -·· -- . ·=- ave been removed

as have several Prunus otherwise his report 1s very similar to the planning report of

1995

2000 November David Brown Landscape Management Plan

David Brown 's second report outlines a management plan for the gardens with 5

objectives

• To restore the spatial structure of the garden • To generate a strong vegetational character

• To enhance the user potential • To simplify the long term maintenance

• To ensure that public safety is maintained

All V€ , -----

Short Term Action

10 year planting plan 3 positions given for new large trees to be planted - I do not

Phased removal of false acacias - trees nos. 2, 3, and 4 :igr'-" and cherries nos. 45,46

and 47 -

Consider planting small flowering trees - :,ome of this has been done but not

n r~ li r,,.;._" ...

Medium Term Action Remove ashes nos. 12 and 14 - A -L. -- ·::; • d instead

Review replacement of existing Limes and Horse Chestnut - igree replacement trees ----·. , ... ___ ... _ .. .., _____ nd replacements also

..JC-- A I

Various suggestions on seats, pavilion, re- surfacing paths and lawn aeration

Long Term Action

Remove Limes and Horse Chestnuts when replacement trees established - agree

Replacement planting and rejuvenation pruning of shrubs J~1 --

Replace overmature small flowering trees

Plant Palette

~ ... L ..... ,.... ........ L.t! plants to use but no indication of where to be planted and needs more

details to be useful Conclusion A report that needed far more detail to be of real value

2002 RBKC Habitat Survey 2002

Planning Status: Conservation area, Site of Archaeological Importance, Site of Nature Conservation Importance.

Major Habitats: Planted shrubbery, amenity grassland, scattered trees. Justification for Designation: A large area of relatively undisturbed open space which is

particularly important for mammals :J_.c. 1 enti ... ro .. n_.1_ .. to .'J __ ware of in any future plans for the garden

Otherwise the report repeats much of the information m the 1993 survey with the

add1t1on of a record of some of the plant species found on site but poorly recorded and

of not much value

2010 October Bartlett Consulting Tree Health and Structural Integrity Report . '. .. _ ·- ..l .JL ~ __ ta.I __ :q .. _n _r Lh He , _ Ch_s.u u .. L... ·-th __ I. .... 1r _ 1 i_

201 3 May ACS Consulting Tree Survey This is a detailed report on the current status and condition of 108 tree and large

shrubs acting as trees. It includes a detailed Tree Survey Schedule and a plan TSl RG

with approximate positions of the trees listed. There are also notes on work

recommended to be carried out immediately.

,...-.. _ .. c... -,..-· .. _. _ p. -·'-- Jas1s for our plan no. 1405 / 1 A and tree

survey using the same tree numbers as in the ACS survey and on their plan. Although

108 tree numbers are included. several numbers are used for a group of trees and over

120 trees are included. Several larger trees were omitted from the report and have now

been added to our plan. It would appear that several smaller trees growing in the No man's Land were omitted, some have been added to our plan and the others need

surveying and adding for a more complete record.

Appendix II.

Native trees of England

Notes: 1. Our native trees support a great variety of our wildlife and grow well in

our soils and climate

2. Those native to southern England should grow vigorously in Rosmead Gardens 3. Some native trees are not 'gardenworthy' and are not worth growing in

Rosmead Gardens

Trees with existing number already in the garden in brackets

Latin Name

Acer campestre

A/nus g/utinosa

Betula pendula

Carpinus betulus

Common Name Field maple (0)

Comments

rather untidy in habit until mature

Common Alder (0) could make an attractive group

Silver Birch (9) probably enough already, not really suitable

for London clay soils

Hornbeam (1) excellent tree for London Gardens, plant

more

Crataegus laevigata Midland Hawthorn (1) plant more ornamental cultivars

Crataegus monogyna Hawthorn (12) good for low screen ing but enough already

Fagus sylvatica

Fraxinus excelsior

!lex aquifolium

Ma/us sylvestris

Prunus avium Prunus padus

Pyrus communis

Quercus robur Sorbus aria

Sorbus aucuparia

Sorbus torminalis

Tilia cordata

Tilia platyphyllos

Ulmus glabra

in the garden for the moment

Common Beech (0) grows well in London, could plant as large

Common Ash (6)

Holly (7)

Crab Apple (0) Wild Cherry (1)

Bird Cherry (0)

Common Pear (0)

English Oak (1)

Whitebeam (0)

Mountain Ash (1)

tree replacement for Ash

not a very attractive tree - no need to plant

more does well but plenty in garden

rare native use ornamental Malus cultivars Good ornamental tree, more needed Good ornamental tree, plant 1 or 2

rare as native use more ornamental cultivars

important tree, plant 1 or 2 more

should do well, might add could plant more but not always successful

in London gardens, prefer acid moorlands

Service Tree (0) interesting native tree, plant 1 or 2

Small leaved Lime (1 )should plant in place of T.x europaea

Broad leaved Lime (O)could plant instead of Tilia x europaea

Wych Elm (4) still a problem with Dutch elm disease

Ulmus procera English Elm (0)

Taxus baccata Yew (7)

not at the moment due to problem with Dutch elm disease

could plant more as background

Native trees which are not 'gardenworthy' for London gardens

Betula pubescens Downy Birch (0) native of northern counties

Pinus sylvestris Scots Pine (0) only found as native in northern areas

Populus x canescens Grey Poplar (0) not suitable for communal gardens Populus nigra Black Poplar (0) not suitable for communal gardens

Populus tremula Aspen (0) not suitable for communal gardens Prunus spinosa

Quercus petraea

Salix alba

Salix fragilis

Blackthorn (0)

Sessile Oak (0)

White Willow (0)

Crack Willow (0)

not suitable for communal gardens

native to more westerly counties, but might

be used not suitable for communal gardens

not suitable for communal gardens