To commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy Initiative, the Stratton Audley Parish Council planted a Whitebeam tree on Saturday 4th June.
With rain forecast, which did not disappoint, members of the community gathered at 11am to witness the planting of a five-year-old tree and a number of people took turns to throw soil into the hole. The position chosen on The Green, Mill Road was met with approval by all residents who came to admire the new addition to the village.
The rain stopped, bubbles were served and a toast raised to Her Majesty.
The Whitebeam (Sorbus aria) is a charming and domestic British tree native to southern England. It’s fruit is a favourite of garden birds, and a popular ornamental tree in parks and gardens, with lovely blossom and russet autumn leaves.
The Whitebeam is a deciduous broadleaf tree that is compact and domed. It gets its name because of the white furry hairs that can be seen on the underside of the leaf as it unfolds in Spring. The tree then blossoms with clusters of white flowers followed by speckled red berries in autumn.
Mature trees can grow to a height of 15m over 40 years. Life span is 80 -100 years.
The initial hole was dug thanks mainly to the efforts of Martin Arroyo and Paul Roberts plus their two sons. However overnight the hole filled up with water, so the tree was temporarily planted to allow the ceremony to proceed.
Some days later Jeremy Adams arranged for the hard stone lower level to be drilled out, the hole enlarged and given good drainage and finally placed in a permanent position with plenty of fertiliser from the Goss’s farm. Thanks to Jeremy and also to Anthony Flack, Stewart Hopkins and Henri Pappenfus.
