Coolest Tree Survey

[Jodie]

Documentary
The Trees That Made Britain
7:30pm - 8:00pm
BBC2
VIDEO Plus+: 115
Subtitles, widescreen

"No matter how highly you rate trees, it's unlikely you've ever referred to them as "silent watchers of the turning year". Yet that's just how this cosy new series tags the barkbased things, approaching big trees, little trees and rotting trees that look like they've been attacked by wild boars with the same arboreal zeal. Tonight's featured "silent watcher" is the yew, a knotty evergreen that sees Kew Gardens' Tony Kirkham (northern, bearded, garrulous) and Jon Hammerton (Londoner, balding, seems a bit shy) travelling across Britain in search of its most impressive and elderly models. The duo's earthiness may jar with the frequently purple-hued narration, but their discoveries - including the reason why yews grow in so many churchyards - are just dandy."

RT reviewer: Sarah Dempster

 

[malcolmc]

My favourite is the Brewer’s Weeping Spruce for its sheer beauty; the needles are slightly lighter on one side and, with its weeping habit, shimmers with a silvery appearance - like bright falling water - in the wind. It merits more frequent planting. It is relatively expensive and very slow growing.

Of the trees native to the UK I would say weeping silver birch would be a favourite, again for its beauty, but only just ahead of ash, which is a very useful wood and definitely hot!

 

[falling rain]

Scots pine for me. Beautiful shapes, tall and majestic the most widely distributed conifer in the world, Slow to decay, pine needle tea, sap for glueing things, good for feather sticks, burns brightly on cold winters nights, and probably mainly why I like it is because it dosn't abandon you in the winter and is a friend all year round being an evergreen.

 

[Big John]

Hazel, for all the reasons Tadpole gave, followed by Silver Birch - the firelighters friend!

 

[Tribaljamin]

apple trees.

Hear hear! - Wassail anyone?