Stow Hall Gardens is full of remarkable trees, many with a story behind them. Some were planted 250 years ago, and some are only a couple of years in place. The ancient cedars stand as angular giants against the skyline, and there is a sprawling fern leaf beech that has become a forest of its own, with branches weighed down to the ground and re-rooting (one of the best trees for climbing). There are giant redwoods (sequoia) with their dark spongy bark, which are brilliant for children to squish, especially after rain, and cherry trees that explode in blossom in the spring. In winter the barks of the prunus serrula, snake bark maple and our silver birch’s shine out. There are also stately ginkgos, survivors of pre-history, whose nuts are prized by the Chinese for cooking. All these trees show the hand of the Hare family on the land over the years, and are wonderful for games and exploring.
