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Trees Gallery - Constable Burton

Wensleydale, near Leyburn


Constable Burton Hall

Constable Burton

Wensleydale

Constable Burton Hall is a Grade 1 listed house, surrounded by acres of parkland, formal gardens and woodland garden. Honesty box entry (or free to Historic House members), only open for special events early in the season - particularly in May, for the tulip festival when over 6000 tulip bulbs are planted to flower in the gardens and woodlands.


Japanese red maple

Acer palmatum wou-nishiki

Japanese red maple

With very deeply divided almost apricot colored leaves in early spring.  In summer leaves remain bronze with sun or turn pale green in shade. Planted in 1999.
Chinese red birch
Chinese red birch bark

Betula albosinsensis septentrionalis

Chinese Red Birch

Native of Central and Western China. Introduced in 1908 by plant collector Ernest Wilson. Beautiful strking variety with dark coppery bark, the matt green leaves turning golden yellow in autumn.
Incense cedar
Incense cedar needles

Calocedrus decurrens

Californian Incense Cedar

A native of west North America. A large tree with conical habit and flaking bark. Can reach 50 m in height, and 1.2 m diameter trunk. The foliage is in flattened sprays of scale like leaves. Very drought and fire resistant, which aids its spread in the wild.
Cedar of Lebanon

Cedrus liboni

Cedar of Lebanon

Native to Mount Lebanon (in Syria, not Lebanon!) but it does also grow in Lebanon. Introduced to Britain in the 1630s, gaining popularity in the 19th century. Traditionally planted in threes so if one was damaged, the others remained. All three have survived here.
Katsura tree

Cercidiphyllum japonica

Katsura tree

Native to Japan and China. Forms a small to medium size deciduous tree in the UK. Attractive heart-shaped leaves turn a fine yellow and smoky pink in autumn, with the drying leaves assuming a pleasant scent of burnt sugar. It can be susceptible to early frosts.
Lime tree avenue
Lime tree

Tilia x europaea

Common lime

An avenue of limes is a common feature in stately home gardens and parkland. This one is probably the common lime, though the small leaved lime (Tilia cordata) and the large leaved lime (tilia platyophyllus) from which this is crossed, are also native species.
Nothofagus Dombeyi
Nothofagus Dombeyi

Nothofagus dombeyi

Dombey's beech, Coigue

A native of the Andes - Chile and Patagonia. A large evergreen tree, up to 45 m in height and 2 m in diameter. The leaves are small, leathery, lustrous and dark green, with toothed edges. Named after French botanist Joseph Dombey (1742 - 94)
Zelkova serrata
Zelkova serrata

Zelkova serrata

Japanese elm, keyaki

Native to Japan, Korea, Eastern China and Taiwan. A medium sized deciduous tree growing to 30 m. Short trunk dividing into many upright stems. Ovate leaves turn bronze or red in autumn. Popular as a bonsai literally 'a tree growing in a shallow container'. Miniaturised tree which is a realistic representation of the full size tree specimen.
Oak trees
Oak catkins

Quercus robur

English Oak

One of three old oaks by the house, with young leaves and spring catkins - not often associated with oaks, until you get to know them.
Lime tree walk
Lime burr
Burr lime clock

Tilia cordata

Small leaved lime

A line of lime trees borders a path to the east of the hall, leading to a wrought iron gate (locked), at the north end of the formal garden. I think the lime variety is cordata, the small leaved lime, though it could be tilia x europea, a cross between the small leaved and large leaved varieties. Some beautiful burrs are on the trunks of the tree. They would make wonderful woodturning material eventually!