Planting trees for Cheltenham

The new trees have been planted mainly to replace those which had to be removed from the council’s parks and green spaces as part of routine inspections. Alongside the more everyday varieties of birches, broad-leaved limes and pine trees, a number of more exotic species were chosen. A Zelkova (an east Asian member of the elm family) was planted in the most southerly part of Pittville park to replace the eucalyptus that died during the very cold winter of 2010, and a Serbian spruce has been included in the mini arboretum on the north-west side of Montpellier Gardens. A Tilia henryana, more commonly known as 'Henry’s Lime' has been placed close to the skate park alongside Evesham Road, continuing the new lime avenue which contains some other exotic limes planted last season.

12 trees were funded by donations from members of the public via our tree sponsorship scheme, and one tree was funded by and planted on Cheltenham Borough Homes land.

Lindsey Mulraine, tree officer at Cheltenham Borough Council, said: “Cheltenham’s trees play an important part in shaping the town’s distinctive character, and our parks and gardens contain many unusual and exotic specimens. Our tree section helps to maintain the green infrastructure of the borough by replacing trees that have to be removed for reasons of public safety, or which have died or been vandalised, and they can also enforce the replanting of trees on private land. The choice of replacement trees will vary depending on the location. For example the arboretum in Montpellier Gardens allows us to plant exotic species for year round interest, whereas only native species will be included in more rural areas, such as Burrows Playing Fields, to encourage native wildlife.”

Further information about Cheltenham’s trees can be found on our tree management pages, including details of Cheltenham’s 'Champion Trees', and the self guided tree walks in Pittville Park.

Notes:

Full details of some of the more interesting ornamental trees mentioned in the article:

• Tilia henryana planted in Pittville Park adjacent to the skate park, alongside Evesham Road. This is to continue the new lime avenue which also contains some other exotic limes planted last season: Tilia cordata x mongolica Harvest Gold and Tilia cordata Winter Orange
• A Zelkova serrata has been planted in the most southerly part of Pittville Park to replace the eucalyptus
• The Serbian spruce planted in the mini arboretum in Montpellier Gardens is a Picea omorika
  

Other tree planting in the town:

• We have worked with Gloucestershire Highways and Ubico to plant 100 new trees along the towns highways, replacing trees that have been removed for health and safety reasons
• Cheltenham Tree Group planted 40 small trees in Pittville Open Space. The trees themselves were funded by a Cheltenham Environmental Fund grant, but all the planting was carried out by volunteers from the group
• Friends of Pilley Bridge Nature Reserve have planted four fruit trees in the reserve and are planning on planting a further four trees next season. This project is also as a result of a Cheltenham Environmental Fund grant