From Past To Present: Reviving Westonbirt School’s Arboreal Glory With A Special Family Connection

For years, the landscape of Westonbirt School has been synonymous with some of the most significant and distinguished trees in the area. With a magnificent array of specimen trees, Robert Holford, followed by his son George, planted one of the most inspired collections during their years here.

In 1927, a year before the School was founded, a Kew-based botanist and dendrologist named Albert Bruce Jackson published ‘Catalogue of the Trees & Shrubs at Westonbirt in the collection of the late Lieut Col Sir George Lindsay Holford KCVO, CIE, CBE’.

In the book’s Preface, Mr Jackson described it as ‘indeed rare to find, as one does at Westonbirt, trees grouped and avenues laid out by a father and son who both possessed, to such a remarkable degree, the natural taste for planting, as well as the power of visualising the ultimate result of their work, and who both devoted the largest part of their life to their favourite pursuit.’

Mr Jackson was a recognized authority on the identification of hardy trees and shrubs; when he died in 1947, his obituary appeared in the journal Nature.

One hundred years on from the publication of the book, the School has commenced a new project to restore some of the landscape to its former glory, hoping to plant up to 400 trees of varying species to ensure that there is every reason to create a new ‘Trees of Westonbirt’ book. Members of the school and alumni community have generously provided donations towards the purchase of new trees.

The School is thrilled to have a relative of Mr Jackson involved with this; his great-great-granddaughter Eve Harrington attends the school in Year 9 and has helped with the tree planting. She was delighted to have been involved with this project, saying, ‘I think it’s really nice for me to feel so connected to my great-great-grandfather and his impact on Westonbirt. I feel pleased to be a part of his legacy.’

Head Natasha Dangerfield reflected on the importance of the trees and the link between the yesteryear of 1927 and today: ‘How wonderful it is that our new heritage tree planting project has achieved such an important full circle. And, as is often the way of Westonbirt, it has kept a very important part of the landscape perpetually part of our community.’

If you would like to find out more about the heritage tree planting project or make a donation, please visit westonbirt.org/heritage-tree-planting-project