Richmond's Tree of the Year announced

The Chestnut Leaved Oak in Ham Common has been crowned Tree of the Year.

Last month, our Parks team partnered with Habitats & Heritage and Health Walks to run a Tree of the Year competition at the recent Full of Life Fair. The competition was held to celebrate the natural beauty in our borough.

Our tree officers identified six lovely specimens for attendees to vote on.

Winner

With 46 votes, the Chestnut Leaved Oak in Ham Common emerged as the winner. It's an unusual specimen, with a characterful globular crown and hairy acorns.

Shortlisted trees

In addition to the Chestnut Leaved Oak, five other trees were shortlisted.

Ulmus 'Sapparo Autumn Gold' - Ham Street

Elm was a common species along the river before Dutch Elm Disease devasted the population. These resistant specimens, seen on Ham Street, now provide critical habitat for the White-letter Hairstreak butterfly.

Dawn Redwood - Westerley Ware

A living fossil tree, they display excellent autumn colour as a deciduous conifer. This specimen is easily visible in Westerley Ware when entering the borough over Kew Bridge.

London Plane - Bridge House Gardens

How big do they grow and how long do they live? The first specimens of this hybrid are still going so we don’t know yet. Find out more about Bridge House Gardens. 

Sweet Chestnut - Murray Park

Naturalised to the UK this species is the source of roasting chestnuts. The specimens in Murray Park are part of the historic landscape of Whitton Dene and the later rifle range.

Cedar of Lebanon - Grove Gardens

This species is native to Lebanon and Syria, and the timber is recorded as being supplied to King Solomon to construct the First Temple. The trees, as seen in Grove Gardens, have distinctive architectural form and upwards facing cones.

Explore our green spaces

In Richmond upon Thames, we’re fortunate to be surrounded by thousands of beautiful trees that provide immense benefits to our communities, from improving our air quality to boosting physical and mental wellbeing through a connection to nature.

If you are looking to explore our beautiful green spaces, join our activities to stay active and meet new people.