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Giant Redwood - August 2005

Giant Redwood - November 2019
Castle Park is laid out around the old castle in Colchester, near the town centre. There are many well laid out flower beds, and a wide range of trees can be seen. One of the most important, of course, is the young Giant Redwood, which is shown next to the house above.

Dawn Redwood in Autumn colour - November 2005

Dawn Redwood in Summer colour - July 2009

Dawn Redwood - October 2017
There is also a superb Dawn Redwood which used to stand near the Putting Green. The above left hand photograph shows it in its Autumn colour, the leaves having turned a deep orange. The year this was taken (2005) was not a great Autumn for the Dawn Redwood, Will Jenkins (Park Ranger) said that in other years the orange has been far more vivid. It is now in the centre of the children's playground, note the characteristic fluting of the trunk.

Dawn Redwood - October 2017

Dawn Redwood - November 2019

Coast Redwood - November 2005
One type of Redwood the park did not have was a Coast Redwood. In November 2005, however, with the help of Will, I planted one that I had grown from seed and which stood at a height of 1.78m at 2 years old.

Job Done!    Then my Dad inspects the growth rate three months later!

Will sent this photograph when it was about 8ft high - March 2007

Colchester Castle Park Tree Walk - November 2007

A friend recorded some of this warden-led walk around the park. It was made in three sections:

1) A Coastal Redwood in Colchester Castle Park

2) It's an amazing tree

3) Close to the bowling green

Friends of Colchester Castle Park have produced a Tree Trail which mentions all three Redwoods in the park.

There is also a Google map available of the specimen trees in the park.


Nearly three years after planting it is 18ft high - October 2008

Nearly four years after planting it is 22ft high - October 2009

Redwood World grows its first tree big enough to support a squirrel! - October 2009

Tony took the above photograph - November 2011

Over 30 feet high - November 2013

Over 37 feet high - December 2015

It's not likely to be the same squirrel from six years ago
but he/she seemed to recognise us!
The trunk is now classically red and fibrous and looking quite a lot wider for the squirrel to climb - December 2015

43 feet high - November 2016

The broken leader has healed well

A shot from across the bowling green - November 2016

It is difficult to see the top now - October 2018

From across the bowling green - October 2018

Many trees were looking superb in the sunshine in their Autumn colours - November 2019

Mr. Squirrel sheltering in our expanding Coast Redwood tree from the rain - October 2020

Felt amazed on a cold and frosty day by the continued rapid growth of this tree! - December 2022

Diana and Pauline helping to measure the Coast Redwood - November 2023
In November 2023 the Coast Redwood had been planted for eighteen years. If my measurements were correct, it had grown over a metre and a half during the preceding twelve months, perhaps due to the large amount of rain we had this Summer and Autumn.

I had some help measuring this year, Diana and Pauline kindly held the branches apart so that the measuring device could see the trunk. They are both members of the Friends of Colchester Castle Park group, which also has a Facebook page. Both web sites are well worth a visit. We had some pleasant conversations about the tree and the park over a cup of tea at the cafe, between them they have a wealth of knowledge on the park and of trees in general. It's great to know there are enthusiastic and capable people taking care of the park.


Armistice Day commemoration - November 2023
Paul very kindly sent in the above photograph of one of the guns used during the Remembrance ceremony.


A growth graph of the Coast Redwood - height in metres
(note the dip around 2012 caused by the leader breaking)

Common Names and Latin Name No. Latitude and Longitude OS National Grid Elevation
(above sea-level)
Height Girth Date Measured
WGS84 OSGB36
Giant Redwood, Wellingtonia
Sequoiadendron giganteum
1 N51.89239
E0.90210
N51.89191
E0.90384
TL 99791 25518 37ft
(11.28m)
16m
15.9m
16.9m
16.4m
14.8m
10.9m
2.56m
2.5m
--
2.4m
2.04m
1.71m
December 2021
November 2019
October 2018
October 2017
October 2011
June 2006
Dawn Redwood
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
2 N51.89203
E0.90454
N51.89154
E0.90625
TL 99958 25483 80ft
(24.39m)
22m
22m
21.6m
19.5m
2.76m
2.65m
2.4m
2.05m
December 2021
November 2019
October 2017
July 2009
Coast Redwood
Sequoia sempervirens
3 N51.89421
E0.90499
N51.89373
E0.90673
TL 99981 25728 41ft
(12.5m)
21.2m
20.2m
18.5m
17.9m
17.3m
16.5m
15.8m
14.4m
13.15m
11.4m
10.9m
10.2m
7.8m
8.05m
6.7m
5.5m
2.6m
1.78m
2.34m
2.23m
2.12m
2m
1.86m
1.75m
1.5m
1.48m
1.35m
1.17m
0.92m
0.8m
0.64m
0.61m
0.4m
0.3m
--
--
November 2024
November 2023
December 2022
December 2021
October 2020
November 2019
October 2018
October 2017
November 2016
December 2015
November 2014
November 2013
October 2012
October 2011
October 2009
October 2008
March 2007
June 2006
Girth was measured at 1.5 metres from ground

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