Common Yew (Taxus baccata) below
The Dene woodlands have their origin as ancient woodland though with intervention over the centuries the tree cover has been managed and added toby enthusiastic gardeners. The mix is rich and diverse. The ancient semi-natural woodland is predominantly native Durmast oak, ash and cherry with woodland flowers: bluebell, wild garlic, red campion and dog’s mercury. By the C18English Oak, beech and sycamore had been introduced for their timber value.
During the Victorian era the Dene was owned by Lord Armstrong and managed as a “wild garden” retaining the existing woodland, but adding exotic and unusual species such as sweet chestnut, silver lime, Indian bean, red oak, black walnut and a wide range of conifers. The Dene contains many trees that would be classed as “veteran” . Shrub species like rhododendron, ornamental hollies, laurel, yew and viburnum were also popular from Victorian times.
Jesmond Dene has many planted conifers. None are natural as the report above suggests.
The common Yew pictured above is the most numerous. The Golden Yew is also common.
As usual some species are hard to identify.
Norway Spruce (Picea abies) fronted by a hazel tree.
Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara)
Japanese Red Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica)
Lodgepole pine with Norway Spruce tip
Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) tall with fluted trunk and wonderful scent, foliage below.
(Sequiadendron giganteum) Giant sequoia an example of the world’s largest tree species.
It has soft red bark and ornate cones.
Cypress is widely planted. The twig below looks like (Cupressocyparis leylandii)
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