Rothbury Trees Blog

Read the latest blog articles about the trees in Rothbury and also information on trees species.

15 October 2024

Launch of the Belsay Tree Trail!

'Veteran Nick' (Nick Johnson from the Northumbria Veteran Tree Project) proudly showed us the newest Tree Trail from the Veteran Trees Tree Trail App.

2 October 2024

Hey! It's time to order your FREE TREE!

NCC's fantastic free tree giveaway is back for 2024 - with 15,000 saplings up for grabs!

24 September 2024

Crimes Against Trees in our Green Spaces

Frustration is growing at the careless way some management companies treat trees in public spaces. This summer, one tree died, thankfully hurting no-one as it fell, and one had to felled before it went the same way. It is unacceptable and it needs to stop. We should be protecting, not killing, trees.

16 September 2024

A new approach to ash dieback

This beautiful old ash has been suffering from ash dieback for several years. In the past, it would simply have been felled, as thousand before it have been.

13 August 2024

The Trees of Rothbury Village Greens

Mike Evens is Rothbury's gardener. He told me: There are 59 trees on Rothbury's village greens; this includes the latest planted trees which have been donated by The Over-60s club (a crab apple) and Rothbury WI I (a rowan) in 2024. RPC is also responsible for the care of the trees in the closed graveyards at Haw Hill and All Saints Church, and Whitton Bank Cemetery. Overall, there are more than 170 trees.

13 August 2024

Tree Warden Training and Events

Training for Rothbury Tree Wardens. We have guests and members who share their knowledge at different times throughout the year. This was the first training we put on; it was very enjoyable - we learned a lot.

4 August 2024

Introducing Alan Winlow, MBE, Freeman of Whitton and Tosson, Rothbury Tree Warden

Alan Winlow has been honoured at many levels for his achievements in industry, education, and the environment. One award, from the Lindbergh Foundation, says: ’The human future depends on our ability to combine the knowledge of science with the wisdom of wildness’. Alan’s life exemplifies this philosophy.

10 June 2024

Ouch! That looks sore! And.. Take care of the trees, please!

Northumberland County Council is committed to give away 150,000 trees between 2020 and 2030. That is the equivalent of one tree per Northumberland household. Unfortunately, England is way behind its target of planting 120 million trees by 2025*, even though a massive amount of trees has been planted in recent years. And... a great many of these newly planted trees have not survived.

29 March 2024

Tree Trail updated!

I am delighted to tell you that the popular Rothbury Tree Trail has been updated for 2024.

4 March 2024

The last of the Ash?

I wonder how long the ash trees will last - how many will survive the dieback which is decimating them throughout the country. Lots, I hope.

31 January 2024

What makes a good hedge?

Hedges provide wildlife corridors, they help with water retention, and of course, they are excellent in helping livestock - browsing, but also both for shade in the summer, and shelter in the winter. But what makes a 'good' hedge?

17 January 2024

Renewed life - New life

Tree growth usually happens in spring and summer. While growing, the tree also produces its buds for next year.

13 November 2023

Seeds2Trees - you can be part of the future!

Seeds2Trees was launched by Living Woods just last year to enable people of all ages, across local communities, to grow UK native trees from seed, for future use in community focussed tree planting schemes

21 October 2023

We all love a freeby - well, how about a free tree!

Northumberland County Council are again giving away free trees - but you need to apply quickly!

14 September 2023

The Rothbury Tree Trail is 'so inspiring and joyful!'

"I have been meaning to do the Rothbury Tree Trail since the App was first written and created by Katie Scott, with the help of an amazing team of musicians and readers". It was such a lovely surprise to check in on the Rothbury, Northumberland Facebook Page today. As well as the newsy posts, the funnies, the queries, and the discussions, was a review of the Tree Trail by the gifted photographer, Susan Barwood.

11 September 2023

The 'keys' to a tree-filled future!

This is a wonderful time of the year for tree lovers, like you and me! It is "Seed Gathering Season".

22 June 2023

Wonderful Wild Hepple Whitefield

As part of the Great Big Green Week, some Rothbury Climate and Nature members were invited by Walter Riddell to see the rewilding/managed wilding work being done at Hepple Whitefield.

21 June 2023

Why do so many newly-planted trees die?

There have been a lot of depressing headlines over the last few years decrying the deaths of 1000s - if not millions - of newly planted saplings. How can we stop this happening?

29 April 2023

The mighty Scots Pine. A native conifer.

These giant trees can grow to more than 35 metres and can live for well over 500 years. Although it is the native pine tree of Scotland, it is seen across many other parts of the UK, including here in Rothbury. It is a wild tree in its native land but is planted by humans elsewhere. The Scots Pine is the most widely dispersed conifer in the world

15 March 2023

Introducing the Fastigiate (or Irish) Yew.

As it is near to St Patrick's Day, let's take a look at this rather intriguing tree.

28 February 2023

How to turn a tree into a beautiful bench! A photo-essay.

The wonderfully talented and skilful Michael Boxall, agreed to make a bench to commemorate the Save Rothbury Community Hospital Campaign, and, in particular, two of its members who died during the campaign to save the NHS beds I asked Michael to document the process.

24 February 2023

Try our new lovely little tree walk!

In September 2022 Alan Winlow and others completed the designing and planting of a pretty new walk on Simonside. This short walk runs parallel to the Tosson to Lordenshaw road and ends opposite the prominent Noble Fir.

30 January 2023

Holly has spiky leaves, right?

We all like to bring these beloved evergreen branches into our homes at Yule. We recognise their shiny dark green leaves, edged in spikes. 'Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown'.

18 January 2023

Mother Nature's Icy Creations

Walking down the river path, towards Thrum Mill, on Tuesday 17th January, 2023, what an array of beautiful, magical, sights - signs of hope, and proof of the magnificent, terrifying, power of Nature.

3 October 2022

Tree Trails and Tales - the Rothbury Tree Trail is here.

I am so proud to announce that the Rothbury Tree Trail is now live. After a year's work, it is up and available for all to download, and enjoy, for FREE. Many thanks to Nick from the Northumbria Veteran Tree Project for funding this, and for believing in my abilities!

28 August 2022

What the Craa Trees saw

There were once three very special ash trees growing at Beggars Rigg. David Dippie Dixon, Coquetdale’s beloved Natural Historian, wrote, in 1903, in Upper Coquetdale, Northumberland: its History Traditions, Folk Lore and Scenery. This blog explores links between: women's fashion, golf, horse racing, betting, refugees, the kindness of Coquetdale folk.

15 June 2022

Tree Protection? Or a plastic menace?

A great many trees and hedges were planted, all over Rothbury, several years ago. Tree protection was put on them, but no maintenance was done to look after the trees as they grew. This blog explores the use of tree guards.

7 June 2022

Robert Hounam, Dippie Dixon and 'The Valley Remembers'

'The Valley Remembers' is a WWI Centenary book, produced in 2014 by Sandy Hunter and his team of researchers, Duncan Glen and Freda Walker. When Duncan told me he had discovered another important chestnut tree, at a faraway war memorial, I felt inspired to write about Robert Hounam. This soldier's name is inscribed on both war memorials. I am indebted to many people for their help.

18 March 2022

The Rothbury Tree Warden Scheme

In April 2022, Northumberland County Council, in conjunction with The Tree Council, launched the Tree Warden Scheme in Rothbury. Read about the event, and about the scheme.

6 March 2022

They no longer weep, but we do.

Rothbury’s Armstrong Cottages (built as alms houses in 1896) are among the most attractive and iconic buildings in this town. The cottages are situated at Town Foot, opposite the floodgates. Within the grounds of the cottages are two, rather beautiful and imposing, weeping ash trees. Note: There were two beautiful weeping ash, but they are no longer there (spring, 2024). This blog tells about the history of cottages, and about the origins of weeping ash trees.