I have been at the wood a great deal since February laying mulch mats and then clearing bracken. Around me the trees have started to grow. Now that the bracken is down it is easier to see that a woodland is emerging. I have photographed each of the different tree species planted however they have arrived at the wood - those trees ordered from nurseries (17 varieties), those donated, those propagated from seeds and those that have self seeded and here is a record of progress over Spring and Summer 2024.
Alder
AspenI won’t ever know but I do wonder if the Aspen trees that have shot up are the ones donated by BOOM (Back on our Map).Downy Birch
One of the first trees to emerge in spring was this Downy Birch and when it started to show I realised why they are called Downy Birch - you can see the down on the stem
Birch are known as a ‘pioneer’ trees being the first to establish themselve in land that will allow it to grow. There is a large amount self seeding and here cheekily benefitting from a nearby mulch mat!
The birch saplings above were planted with a stake, spiral guard and mulch mat. The one below is self seeded this year and far more exuberant and healthy looking. Without the deer this will happen more and more. Happily the self seeded ones are growing where I want them in amongst the Scots Pines although I am moving some which are in the middle of paths!
Crab AppleThe woodland creation grant does not allow for the planting of fruit trees (that requires the orchard grant) but Crab Apple is allowed so I have planted around 60 of those including some grown from seed. They seem to be establishing themselves well. There is one area that is proving to provide harsh conditions for trees to become established (the slope below the Gin and Tonic Terrace). It was previously engulfed with gorse and is on a west facing slope which is where the prevailing wind arises. The soil is thin and rocky. I am pleased to see that Crab Apple is doing well (as is Hazel & Alder)
Chestnut Trees
I included both Horse Chestnut and Sweet Chestnut in the planting plan. It proved impossible to source Horse Chestnut saplings from nurseries and I increased the numbers of Sweet Chestnut which is a handsome long living tree. I also propagated Horse Chestnuts from conkers and so did friends so I have about 20 of those now.
I don’t think Horse Chestnuts like tree guards and I am trying to nurture some without
This one is small but looks strong and healthier than the ones in spirals
I have loved watching these Sweet Chestnuts growing. Their leaves look as large as a fully grown tree even on a small plant. I am looking forward to them taking on their autumnal colours.
Black Poplar
This is another tree that I could not purchase from nurseries and a friend gave me two saplings he had propagated from his tree in the Lyth Valley. I am delighted that both are going well.
Dogwood
I planted 250 dogwood and so far have only spotted these two. Maybe those are the dry sticks I come across in the tree guards. I will replace them with something else in coming years and hope that these two do make it as they give a lovely colour in winter and make a good border for the butterfly rides. I knew it was ambitious to introduce so many new species and it looks like this one is not a success.
HazelHazel grows successfully on site currently and there are signs that it was grown as a crop and coppiced in the past. It appears to be thriving in those areas and across the whole site. There is some strong looking self seeding saplings too.
In the area below the Gin and Tonic Terrace the bracken was pushed over by the heavy rain in August. As I cleared the bracken I found some strongly growing Hazel trees which had been finding their way to the sunshine under the bracken and on release they sprang up and have grown strongly.
Hornbeam
I chose this tree only really knowing it from seeing some lovely solo trees making a wonderful broad crown in parks and gardens. I have since found that it is a common crop grown in Cumbria for timber and grows in stands close together making tall straight trunks. They appear to thriving in all the places planted. They don’t really like being in spirals and just push their side branches out sideways and ignore them ...
or grow fast and spread out as they emerge from the top.
Field MapleI think these are increasingly becoming my favourite tree (well one of them…). They have been very slow growing and many are still inside the spiral although look like they are growing quite happily. They also have a tendancy to escape out of the sides. The thing that strikes me is how small the leaves are. Quite different to the approach that the Sweet Chestnut is taking which has full sized leaves on a tiny tree. Field Maples looks like they are being Bonsai’d.
This lovely specimen (below) was donated by a friend. He had been given 5 trees but did not have space to put them and kept them in a pot for 4 years. I planted this as an unknown tree which was just a slender stick. It clearly really appreciates being planted in soil and has taken off this year really well.
I did not purchase any oaks as I have some lovely mature Sessile Oaks across the site. These are the oaks that are native to Cumbria and when you buy them from nurseries you can’t be sure of their provenance (could be pedunculate or hybrids). I have therefore propagated some from collected acorns at home, captured some self seeded saplings and also accepted donations from a neighbour in the valley who is confident that her trees are from her own Sessile Oaks. I shall continue to do this as the ancient oaks will need replacing as they are reaching an age when they are losing branches and losing leaves from their tops - which marks their arrival at middle age I believe.
Self seeded oaks
Planted Autumn 2023 when 3 years old and taking nicely to its new home
Rowan
Rowan trees are some of the most common at the wood so I knew they would do well. I propagated 20 from seed last year and planted those amongst the purchased ones. There is surprisingly few self seeded saplings so far so I have gathered seeds again this year with the aim of restocking in 2026 as I will lose trees over time.
I realise that I tend to take photographs of thriving trees. Some of the Rowan struggled when engulfed with bracken and had been attacked by insects. They have recovered well since the bracken was knocked back but these photographs are of the most successful specimens.
I am most proud of this one which is grown from seeds collected from Bel’s Wood in October 2022, propagated at home and planted this spring. It looks a strong specimen. I think I said never again as it was hard to care for the little saplings during the June drought in 2023, having to move them in the shade during the harsh midday sun and water them 3 times a day. But with this success I have collected more and also Whitebeam poms (not berries apparently) as I had been unable to buy Whitebeam saplings and I have not spotted any self seeded ones.
This photo shows Whitebeam Poms on the left, Rowan fruit on the right with some sorrel behind which I collected to add to stews and smoothies!
Scot’s Pines
Another of my favourites trees is the Scot’s Pine. They smelt delicious when i unpacked them when they first arrived and they have been challenging to care for as without a tree guard or stake it was hard to find them to lay the mulch mats. I feel I have got to know them individually over time! Excavating them from under the bracken has been a challenge too. They thrive on rocky ground so that is where I have spent a lot of time with friends. I could not let the contractor work on those areas as a petrol brush cutter would just cut through them too easily and the shape and colour of the trees is so similar to the grass and bracken around them.
The left shot is the newly planted sapling tucked up in its mulch mat. The impact can be seen one the right and although as the bracken got higher some plants have been shaded it the mulch mat has made it possible to locate the trees.
I will have lost some but there are also many fine specimens thriving including on Tina’s Teatime Terrace where Tina has spent many hours helping me clear the felled gorse, laying mats and clearing bracken. Mags has helped with mats and bracken in the north stand.
The tangle of bracken and bramble can be seen here - on the left before and the right after cutting back the vegetation. This is slow work as the saplings are still short and hard to spot.
I am planning to add a stake to the trees over the winter to make the job of finding them easier next year and they will still be below knee height.
Excavating the trees has been tiring and rewarding work as once given more light they spring up and become more green and robust quick in the sunshine.
Small Leaved Lime
This is a new species for Bel’s Wood and appears to be thriving which is good to know.
One of the tallest trees on the site - nearly as tall as me...
Spindle
This is one of the real successes in the planting plan. I have put Spindle beside the lower and upper butterfly rides. The terrain is quite different between the two - one boggy and the other dry and rocky. The plants seam to be thriving in both area. Some started to put on their autumn colours in late August and are giving a great show which will be wonderful when they establish hedges and time produce pink fruit in Autumn. They are a mid size tree and so create a raking effect between the grass & gorse and larger trees behind which is ideal for a butterfly ride.
Wayfaring Tree
This tree is known to line paths and I added it to the planting plan but outside the grant. They were planted as donations to add to the Queen’s Jubilee Canopy 2022. They are doing nicely and line the path back to the entrance gate.
It isn’t a tree I know a lot about but as visitor reminded me of the series of illustrations of trees and their associate fairies and it rang a bell. I’m looking forward to these lovely looking berries appearing in time. Wild Cherry
There are a number of lovely mature Wild Cherry trees at Bel’s Wood. I have counted 6 but there may be a few more younger ones. The older ones are losing limbs and falling over and so I wanted to introduce more as I don’t see many self seeded saplings on the site. They have lovely blossom in spring and provide early and striking autumnal colours and are considered an excellent tree for wildlife. They appear to be thriving across the site.
I have lost some which had not made it above the spiral and rotted in the really wet summer we have had although their roots may be alive still.
This one was excavated from tall second growth bracken and looks in fine form.
WillowThere are some lovely well established willows across Bel’s Wood and some self seeded ones in the very boggy areas. I need to take care as Willow can take over but most of the trees are old and the level of replacement hasn't been that great in the past. It does look like those planted are really thriving looking healthy and tall. There are two types - Goat and Eared Willow.
The tallest one I have found.
Wych Elm
This is another favourite tree of mine. I was really hard to source and I only planted 100 as they were about 6 times the cost of other trees. They were a little older than the other saplings and appear to be thriving.
YewThis is another tree that I have only planted a few of from donations as part of the Queen’s Jubilee Canopy. I have 3 lovely Yew trees and have added 8 more. They do have a reputation for taking over - knocking down deciduous trees and making the land inhospitable for self seed so I have only added a few. They are growing really slowly and I am speculating that this is how they create such hard wood.
It is interesting to see the range of speed with which trees have taken both between species and those of the same variety. I knew there would be some failures and I will need to do a second plant at some point. The self seeded trees may be enough but there are some varieties I would like to introduce for example Guelder Rose with its sumptuous berries.
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