Canford School Tree-umph

Canford School, Dorset, has a secret. Not only is one of the country’s leading independent schools – it’s also home to a nationally recognised Arboretum. 

Its sprawling 260 acres of ground play host to Canford’s two national plant collections of Katsura (Cercidiphyllum) and Walnut (Juglans) trees, and – believe it or not – the oldest tree in the park dates back to the 12th century. Other highlights include – but are not limited to -a thriving Wollemi Pine, (Wollemi nobilis) and numerous examples of deciduous and evergreen trees, hybrid trees, champion trees, with heights ranging over one hundred and thirty-five feet to five feet.

So it should come as no surprise that Canford has been awarded with a prestigious green plaque by Plant Heritage to celebrate the aforementioned national plant collections. Canford, obviously, is very proud of this achievement, and nobody is more thrilled than Canford’s master in charge of trees, Andrew Powell. 

‘It has been a privilege as a botanist to have been Canford’s third master in charge of trees these last thirty-four years,’ says Powell. ‘Head of Grounds Kerry Mapp and arboriculturist Nathan Scheller do a fantastic job in caring for the trees. As well as providing a wonderful setting for the school, the trees are a wonderful teaching aid of great interest to today’s environmentally aware students.’

Pupils, staff, and visitors enjoy the opportunity to experience tours led by Powell, to learn about the fascinating history of Canford’s trees. If you’re interested in such an experience, Canford will be taking part in the National Open Gardens Scheme in May 2025. Further details and bookings will be available in the future via their website: https://ngs.org.uk

Plant Heritage, who awarded the plaque, is the world’s leading cultivated plant conservation charity, for plants that have been collected, bred or grown in UK gardens. Founded in 1978, they aim to conserve and safeguard the UK’s horticultural heritage and diversity of garden plants by keeping living examples of rare plants in the National Plant Collections scheme or with Plant Guardians (people grow and nurture one or more rare and unusual plants in their own garden or house). National Plant Collections are at the heart of Plant Heritage’s plant conservation work and are crucial for ensuring that no plant is lost from cultivation.