Local Trees of Interest
- ‘The Chesnuts’
- Whitegrove Copse
- Tinkers Copse
- South Hill Park and Surrounding Environs
- Lily Hill Park and Surrounding Parkland
A relic from the Warfield Park Estate, these veteran Sweet Chestnut trees that remain today are thought to be approximately 200 years old. The Chestnut “walk” once ran from the old ice-house to the woodland edge and must have been quite impressive. These mighty structures now stand quite unexpectedly in the midst of a residential housing estate paying quiet testament to the grand parkland that has long since gone.
To the North of Bracknell in the parish of Warfield, this mixed ancient woodland is thought to be over 400 years old and is designated as a Wildlife Heritage site. Whitegrove Copse is now managed to increase its biodiversity and wildlife value. It still has areas of active hazel coppice and clearings or glades for butterflies and other insects. From the entrance on Harvest Ride there is a way-marked woodland trail that will lead you through some of the different features of the copse.
This remnant woodland is designated as a Local Nature Reserve and best accessed from Boltons Lane. Predominately native deciduous trees, it contains some rare examples of the Wild Service Tree which are of silvicultural interest and important to the Local Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP).
South Hill Park and Surrounding Environs
Many of the trees from the original parkland estate that is now South Hill Park Arts Centre were retained during the 1970’s residential development. Most notably these include the massive Cedars of Lebanon (Greenham Wood & surrounding roads) and Oak (Evedon) which are thought to be over 200 years old. Another significant tree situated to the rear of the Wild Theatre building and above the Italian Garden is an ancient Beech thought to be one of the oldest trees on the site. The park is also home to some unusual exotics including a fine example of a Deodar Cedar on the main lawn and a Wellingtonia (Giant Redwood) to the side of the Wilde Theatre.
Lily Hill Park and Surrounding Parkland
Lily Hill Park has recently undergone phase one of a landscape restoration project funded in part by the Heritage Lottery Fund.The park is a good example of a 19th century English Parkland Garden including meadows, woodland, a “ha ha” and numerous specimen exotic trees.
Visitors are encouraged to enjoy some of the original features of the Park like the Yew tree walk on the Eastern boundary and the three stately Wellingtonia’s on the summit of Foresters Hill. The park is also home to remnant Beech woodland and Starch Copse which is home to an impressive collection of Rhododendrons and Azaleas and more recently the discovery of an unusual “Cucumber Tree” (Magnolia acuminata).
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