We have inherited mixed woodland which includes both native and non-native trees, shrubs and shrub-like trees. We are gradually removing the non-native species - largely Sitka Spruce, Norway Spruce and Corsican Pine - and introducing more Hazel, Holly, Larch and Willow. We have some flexibility about naturalised trees such as Sycamore, Horse Chestnut and Sweet Chestnut. We have been advised to plant with global warming in mind and to consider trees that might not originally have grown in the north-east, such as Small Leaved Lime.

To date we have the following:

Alder, Ash, Aspen, Beech, Bird Cherry, Bilberry, Blackthorn, Broom, Crab Apple, Dog Rose, English Oak, Field Maple, Gorse, Guelder Rose, Hawthorn, Hazel, Heather, Holly, Hornbeam, Horse Chestnut, Juniper, Larch, Lime, Maple, Red Oak, Rowan, Scots Pine, Silver Birch, Small Leaved Lime, Spindle Tree, Sweet Chestnut, Wild Cherry, Willow, Yew.

Periodically we sow Crab Apple seeds, acorns and conkers at home and have had some success, transferring the saplings when they are big enough. Clare has grown several Broom plants from seed and these have been planted on the crag. Fifty or so Guelder Rose she grew from berries have been planted as hedging in the orchard. We planted a dozen Juniper on the crag to mark a wedding, and have had several small Oaks donated that had begun their lives as wedding favours and outgrown their pots! Friends have also donated trees they have grown from seed and Willow cuttings which are doing well. Some Willow whips have been planted and woven to create three living screens which will act as shelter for seats for bird-watching.

Any fallen or felled trees are being put to good use. We chip the brash for paths, some trunks can be used as path edgings or posts, larger ones are split as logs for the wood burners at home. Recovered hardwood tree stakes are either used again or cut down as pegs for securing path edges. Some small brash is stacked as bug hotels or for nesting, some dead wood is left lying for insects and birds. Anything else goes into one of our occasional celebratory bonfires.

We are delighted that several families have celebrated Christmas with trees that came from Liddells.

And speaking of celebrations, we were amyewsed to receive this reply from friend Neil to our land-warming party invitation:

Trunk yew fir your kind invitation to your woodland celmebration. We wood olive to come! It is treemendous nyews that yew have ashually oakwired the land. Yew mast beechuffed that alder waiting has come to fruition… We are looking firward to cedar plantation again. And planks fir aspen the choir to sing - it’s chestnut possible to celmebrate without a poplar song or two… Maple there’ll be a glass of bubbly and a canopy! Oakfully the weather will be pine, but walnut complane if it’s treery… Acornot think of anything which I’d rather be doing on the 29th!! 

Currently John is awaiting the results of planting acorns and Sweet Chestnut seeds at home.

OED Word of the Day 13.12.16 'roboreous' - relating to or resembling oak; sturdy, robust. 

The Leper Oak and its descendants

On Hexham Golf Course, beside the fifth tee, stands an oak tree known to be at least four hundred years old. It is referred to locally as The Leper Oak or Lepers Oak.

The present golf clubhouse is known as ‘Spital House’. (The word spital derives from the Latin hospitalis.) The clubhouse stands on the site of the former Hospice of St Giles, a leper hospital founded in 1114 which was administered by monks from Hexham Abbey. According to legend, the townspeople of Hexham used to leave food and other supplies for the lepers under the oak tree.

In the year 2000, a Hexham Golf Club member and forester, Mike Jackson, germinated some acorns from the leper oak, and later planted one of the saplings about 25 yards to the west of the Leper Oak. This tree is now known as the Millenium Oak.

In 2013, David Oliver was captain of the Hexham Golf Club. One day he collected some acorns from beside the Leper Oak. Three of them germinated, and he named them Joey, Judith and Rachel after his three children. They grew in garden pots until April 2019 when they were transplanted to their permanent place here at Liddells. You can read about the planting in the Blog post for April 2019.