Trees to be proud of
As part of the 2004 Urban Tree Project funded by the Royal Horticultural Society and the Tree Register, Dr. Owen Johnson (the Assistant Registrar of the Tree Register), identified three "champion" trees in Cheltenham and gave special mention to several others. Two of these are in parks managed by the council and the other belongs to Cheltenham College.
The Tree Register is a registered charity which manages a database containing records of hundreds of thousands of notable and ancient trees throughout the UK and Ireland. Within this is the Champion Tree Register. To be included in this register trees have to be of exceptional girth size and height for their species.
The recognised champion trees in Cheltenham are as follows:
Smooth Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizona var. glabra)
Bath Road in front of entrance to Cheltenham College
19m high x 80cm in diameter
St Lucie Cherry (Prunus mahaleb)
Hesters Way Park, North East Side
9m high x 42cm in diameter
Pencil Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
Pittville Park, south of Pump Rooms
14m high x 87cm in diameter
Some other trees which have been given special mention are:
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the Cypress Oak (Quercus robur fastigiata) in Hesters Way Park - "shapely"
- a Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris) in Pittville Park, south of the Pump Rooms - "fine domed tree"
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an English Oak (Quercus robur) in Pittville Park, south of large lake - "impressive bole"