Amenity (wind break)

Alder, various – (Alnus glutinosa/cordata/viridis/incana/rubra)
A pioneer species, Alder is a member of the birch family of trees, Betulaceae and can reach 25 metres in height. It can grow vigorously when young and can put on as much as 90cm per year. The twigs are sometimes sticky to the touch (which gives rise to the second part of its binomial name, glutinosa, which means sticky). Alder is monoecious, so each tree bears both male and female flowers. Alder forms a symbiotic relationship with a bacterium (Frankia alni) which fixes nitrogen from the air helping to improve soil fertility.

Ash - (Fraxinus excelsior) Can grow to a height of 30 metres, with a spread of 20m. Most flowering plants have flowers that contain both male and female parts, while some produce separate male and female flowers on different plants. Provides a useful source of firewood as it can almost be burned green.

Beech, green/copper – (Fagus sylvatica/purpurea) Can grow to a height of 40 metres. Male and Female flowers appear on the same leaf. Being relatively shallow rooted, Beech prefers free draining soils and often grows well on chalk.

Birch, silver/downy – (Betula pendula/punescens) Birches are another pioneer species and are relatively short lived, sixty years being a good age for a mature specimen. Birch leafs often droop at the tip which is why its scientific name is pendula or hanging. Seed from the drooping Male catkins is released in the spring when the leafs open and dispersed by the wind. Birch wood is traditionally used for broom heads and tools handles.

Chestnut, sweet/horse – (Castanea sativa/aesculus hippocastanum) Originally from the Mediterranean Chestnut can grow into a large tall tree with deeply grooved or fissured bark. Both male and female flowers grow on the same stalk and seed is dispersed by insects.

Cherry, wild/bird – (Prunus avium/padus) Can grow to a height of 30 metres with smooth purplish-brown bark with prominent horizontal lines.
Fruits are bright red to dark purple when mature in mid summer and are edible, with a somewhat astringent and bitter taste when eatten fresh. Fruits contain a single hard-shelled stone with seeds inside. The fruit are readily eaten by numerous birds and mammals, which digest the fruit flesh and disperse the seeds in their droppings.

Hornbeam - (Carpinus betulus)

Lime, small/large leaved – (Tilia cordata/platyphyllos)

Maple, field/norway – (Acer campestre/platanoides)

Oak, various – (Quercus robur/petraea/rubra/cerris/ ilex)

Rowan - (Sorbus aucuparia)

Whitebeam - (Sorbus aria/devoniensis)

Wild service tree - (Sorbus torminalis)