A Guide to the Trees of Valley Gardens, Harrogate
by Jane Blayney & Simon Hill
Published by VIDAR Media Group
ISBN 978 1 9993468 6 7 (72 pages, 83 colour photographs)
An essential guide to the trees of Valley Gardens Harrogate has just been published. The authors are residents of Harrogate district and offer this unique perspective on a feature of the Gardens that is so often overlooked.
Opened in 1887 in celebration of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, the special character of this 17-acre park is provided by the vast variety of trees; some are native to the British Isles while others are examples from more exotic places. Many of the trees in Valley Gardens are now well over 100 years old and this wonderful new guide describing thirty different species will help more of us to explore these trees and the wider Gardens with far greater insight then was previously possible.
Martin Fish, President of FOVG Photo: Simon Hill HonFRPS
Since the Valley Gardens were opened in 1887 in celebration of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, trees have been an integral part of this wonderful garden. Over the years a mixture of British native and ornamental trees from other continents have been planted for decorative effect and to commemorate special occasions.
Many of the trees are now well over 100 years old and they add height, colour and structure to the landscape, as well as providing shelter, habitat and food for a wide range of birds and other wildlife.
The environmental benefits of growing trees are well documented and now more than ever with increased pollution levels and climate change, trees play a vital role in all our lives. Trees produce the oxygen we breath and they absorb carbon dioxide, pollutants and toxins from the atmosphere. They help to reduce run off after heavy rains, reduce noise in urban areas and have a cooling effect in hot weather by giving off water vapour. Plus, being around trees is good for our general well-being by making us feel calm and relaxed.
In this guide to the trees of the Valley Gardens, Jane Blayney shows us a selection of the amazing trees that can be found growing in the Valley Gardens. Jane, a former chairman of the ‘Friends of the Valley Gardens’ has a love of gardens and trees and knows the Valley Gardens inside out. Not only does Jane tell us a little of the history and origin of each tree, she also talks about their benefits to wildlife and many fascinating facts associated with each tree. Jane has worked on this project in collaboration with Simon Hill FBIPP HonFSIAD HonFRPS, President of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain, an award-winning photographer based in North Yorkshire. Simon’s photographic skills, combined with Jane’s enthusiasm and knowledge of the Valley Gardens, and their collective knowedge about trees, have culminated in this publication which will prove to be a marvellous and long-overdue resource for visitors to Valley Gardens.
As a tree lover myself, I’m looking forward to wandering through the gardens with this tree guide to discover a little more about the trees that help to make the Valley Gardens such a special place.
Foreword to
A Guide to the Trees of Valley Gardens, Harrogate
Martin Fish FCIHort, President of the Friends of Valley Gardens