Oldfern's Tree Database
This site provides a pictorial gallery of trees I have visited over the years, mainly in Britain.
It started as a combination of other interests - woodturning, gardening and photography, and has gradually grown, as trees do. There are now almost 1000 species on the tree list, with around 8000 photos in the collection.
The gallery used to be part of my main woodturning site, which is still available in a revised form at oldfern.co.uk, along with an archive of woodturning items available at archive.oldfern.co.uk
As well as trees, there are pages on fungi, woodland plants, woodland features, and some pages about my garden and other gardens visited.
I am very much an amateur where tree and fungi identification is involved, and to some extent the creation of this website was to help me learn more.
Some identifications may be incorrect, and I would welcome corrections, comments or additional information about any of the items on these pages. Contact me at info@oldfern.co.uk
2026 additions
Burton Agnes Hall
East Yorkshire
Posted 20 June 2026
More photos, this time following a trip to Burton Agnes Hall, at an optimum time to see the roses at their best - there is a page just with roses on. Also lots of other trees and shrubs, plus photos from previous visits in winter time (to see the snowdrops and the Christmas decorations). This takes the overall species count up to 993. Many plants are labelled in the garden, but there a few guesses from the woodland and where a label could not be seen. An enquiry sent to the Hall might secure some more definite identifications.
Logan Botanic Gardens
Dumfries and Galloway
Posted 7 June 2026
I have been working my way through photos taken on a visit to four wonderful gardens in Galloway last September: Logan Botanic Garden, Castle Kennedy, Glenwhan, and Culzean. I have just finished adding 270 photos from Logan, representing over 100 species, most of which are not readily found elsewhere in the UK. It could be a while until I finish the others. There is more to come from Cambridgeshire - Botanic Garden, Anglesey Abbey, Wimpole, and Dundee Botanic Garden - along with regular updates to local gardens Scampston Hall and Thornton le Dale.
Godshill Model Village
and the Isle of Wight
Posted 25 May 2026
A week on the Isle of Wight saw us visit 6 gardens, including the amazing Godshill Model Village which has over 3000 miniature trees clipped to match the 1/10th scale of the models, using niwaki pruning and coarse bonsai methods - and a lot of patience! Also Ventnor Botanic Garden, Farringford, Osborne House and Mottistone. All work in progress - I need some help with identification for the Godshill collection: all the images have been uploaded, with descriptions to follow.
In and Around Thornton le Dale
North Yorkshire
Posted 11 May 2026
More additions and updates to previous photos of trees growing in the village of Thornton le Dale. Living in the village and walking around it on most days allows for photos to be taken showing the change in trees and shrubs through the seasons, so a gallery over time is building up steadily.
Helmsley Walled Garden and Parkland
North Yorkshire
Posted 7 May 2026
Two pages of pictures from the walled garden at Helmsley. I think I have the genera correct, but am not certain on all the species and varieties. I have asked the staff at the garden if they can help confirm some suggestions.
Scampston Walled Garden and Parkland
North Yorkshire
Posted 27 April 2026
I have undertaken an extensive review and update of the pages on Scampston Hall. There are now 6 pages, with 380 photos of 70+ trees and shrubs. Many now have multiple images taken across the seasons, a possibility made by living in close proximity to the garden.
In and Around Thornton le Dale
North Yorkshire
Posted 16 March 2026
New additions and updates to previous photos of trees growing in the village of Thornton le Dale, some from villages close by, and surrounding areas.
Burnby Hall Gardens
Pocklington
Posted 9 March 2026
Another set of photos added, this time from a visit to Burnby Hall Gardens in Pocklington last summer. The gardens are famous for their waterlily lakes, but have a good collection of plants and trees to complement these, with a few unusual and rare specimens amongst the more common fayre.
Beningbrough
Posted 12 February 2026
More tidying up and expansion, this time to the Beningbrough Hall pages, to include photos taken from 2024 and 2025. Like Nunnington, being relatively close to visit allows tracking the plants through the seasons and catching them in different stages of growth and decay.
Fungi
Posted 10 February 2026
Persistent wet weather has brought out some of the more gelatinous fungi in our village. Photos of Witches' butter (a more graphic name is Yellow brain), Warlock's butter and Grey Oyster Mushroom have all been added to the fungi pages.
Nunnington
Posted 8 February 2026
Some tidying up and expansion of the Nunnington Hall pages, to include photos taken from 2024 and 2025. Being relatively close, it allows tracking the plants through the seasons and catching them in different stages of growth and decay.
2025 additions
St Andrews Botanic Garden
Posted 30 December 2025
A visit to Dundee in November 2025 included a trip over to St Andrews Botanic garden, a relatively small garden but packed with a wide variety of species, and all labelled for the plant enthusiast to take notes!
Fungi
Posted 10 November 2025
A particularly good year for fungi. With lots spotted on recent visits to woodlands and gardens, I have updated and expanded the pages on Fungi, though many of my efforts to name the 50 or so examples is only educated guesswork. All corrections welcomed.
Trees: Scottish Borders and Belsay
Posted 9 November 2025
More tree photos from my travels have been added to the ever growing tree gallery and database, this time from around the Scottish Borders, including Belsay (not quite in Scotland, but close by), Dawyck, Floors, Mellerstain, Melrose and Mertoun.
Lake District trees
30 July 2025
More tree pictures have been added to the Tree Gallery, this time from visits to the Lake District over a number of years. There are photos from some of estates, parks and gardens, as well as the open countryside.
Have a look at the Tree Index for thousands of other photos in the collection.
Perthshire trees
8 June 2025
More tree pictures have been added to the Tree Gallery, this time from a visit to Perth in July 2024. There are photos from Branklyn Gardens, Rodney Gardens (on the eastern banks of the River Tay in Perth) and Scone Palace. These additions bring the database of trees up to 698.
Have a look at the Tree Index for thousands of other photos in the collection.
Trees gallery
12 March 2025
More tree photos, this time 250 from The Himalayan Gardens at Grewelthorpe, near Ripon in North Yorkshire. 45 acres of woodland gardens, lakes and a young arboretum, dotted with a huge variety of contemporary sculptures by both local and international artists. Inspired by the Himalayas, the park is home to one of the North’s largest collections of rhododendrons, azaleas and magnolias. This latest addition takes the Tree list on this site to over 600 species.
Have a look at the tree index for thousands of tree photos from 27 different woodlands, parks and arboretums.
2024 additions
Posted 24 January 2024 More tree pictures have been added to the tree gallery - photos of trees at the Yorkshire Arboretum, taken over five years on a number of trips. There are 7 pages altogether (until the next visit) with over 150 photos. The tree list has also been updated, with 340 different species included so far.
Posted 18 February 2024 Yet more tree pictures have been added to the tree gallery - photos of trees at RHS Harlow Carr, taken over three years on a number of trips. There are 8 pages altogether (until the next visit) with almost 200 photos. The tree list has also been updated, with 385 different species and cutivars included so far. Also some from Wentworth Woodhouse near Rotherham.
It is enjoyable processing all the photos taken on different trips, giving the opportunity to reflect on the same trees in changing seasons, and new ones found on each of our visits.
Posted 1 June 2024 Lots more tree pictures added to the tree gallery. 10 pages of photos from a November trip to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh; the Yorkshire Arboretum collection now extends to 13 pages after a "meet the trees" day with arboretum director John Grimshaw. There are now over 500 species on the tree list, with around 2000 photos in the collection. There is more to come, from Harewood House, RHS Bridgewater, Holker Hall and Guernsey, along with a few additions to Scampston Hall and Thornton le Dale.
Posted 21 November 2024 Another batch of over 100 tree photos have been added to the tree database on this site. This latest set is from a visit to RHS Bridgewater in Worsley, Salford, earlier this year.
Have a look at the Tree list with almost 600 entries.