Cove - Knockderry House Hotel (Argyll & Bute)

Giant Redwood - November 2010

Thanks to Vera who sent the above photographs of a Giant Redwood in Cove. She says, "On 24th October 2010 we visited Cove on the Roseneath peninsula looking out over the Clyde, on a beautiful autumn day to enjoy a meal at Knockderry House Hotel. This house faces South West, down the Firth of Clyde with views towards Arran. In the garden we noticed a huge tree, which I straight away suspected might be a Californian Redwood. The next day I telephoned the hotel to ask the owner if they knew the name of the tall tree, and did they know when it was planted? The lady stated that although she was no expert, a number of people had assured her that it was a Sequoia. The foundations of the house were laid in 1836, and she reckoned that the tree would be planted when the garden was laid out, within the next 10 -20 years." Well spotted Vera, the tree is really nice specimen of Giant Redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum) or Wellingtonia as it is known by its common name in the UK. The Americans tend to refer to this as the Giant Sequoia. The Americans use the common name Californian Redwood to refer to the tree we call the Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). It can be quite confusing, but essentially you were right with the name! The Giant Redwood was brought into the UK in the 1850's, so that corresponds nicely with the owner's thought that it may have been planted when the gardens were laid out.