The Lord Lieutenant planting the Ginko tree at The Vines, Rochester, with the Mayor, Cllr Vaughan Hewett, and pupils from St Margaret’s Primary School, Troy Town, in the background.
Autumn is the traditional time for tree planting when the ground is moist, this year it could have been anytime!
The Vines in Rochester is a small grade II listed park in the shadow of the Cathedral and originally was the Chapter’s vineyard. Friends of the Vines help Medway Council keep the park in pristine condition; providing a space for leisure and recreation for the residents of Rochester and a place for children to play.
Fern Alder the local Tree Warden and immediate past chair of the Friends of the Vines applied to the Tree Council for one of only 60 trees being planted in the whole United Kingdom. A book recording the planting of all 60 trees will be presented to The Queen on the 60th anniversary of her Coronation on 2 June 2013.
The Tree selected is a Ginko Biloba an ancient Chinese tree going back 270 million years. Before the tree was planted pupils of St Margaret’s Primary School Troy Town read their poems which will be bound into the presentation book given to Her Majesty.
In his speech The Lord-Lieutenant told the assembled company of the Ginko tree planted 170 years ago against the Record Tower at Penshurst Place, as it was thought to be a creeper, the tree is now 20 feet taller than the tower!
Lord De L’Isle asked the children to remember the planting ceremony and bring their grandchildren to see it and tell them of The Queen and her marvellous reign.
Useful links: http//www.treecouncil.org.uk/aboutus/who-we-are
http//www.treecouncil.org.uk/tree-wardens/tree-warden-map
