Lambeth - Streatham Common South (London)

Thanks to Roger who wrote to say, "I was particularly interested in how few Redwoods are found in London. The photograph shows the Redwood in my garden. As we live in a conservation area we need permission to give our trees a ”haircut”. The tree planning officer came to see our trees and confirmed that not only was it an American Redwood but that it was the only one in the Borough of Lambeth – he was certain as he went to University in California. Our house and the ones around us were built just before the first world war and were located in what had been the gardens of a very grand house here in Streatham Common called Wellfield House. It was built in the early part of the 19th century and after damage was knocked down in 1905/6 and the land sold to a local builder/developer who built the houses around here. We believe that the Redwood was planted towards the bottom of the old house’s very large garden during this period and before our house was built. This would fit in with your reference to most UK Redwoods being from around 1850. The tree is with 4/5 metres of the house but, unlike some of my neighbours, we have never had any subsidence problems and have lived here for 30 years which suggests that maybe Redwood roots go deep more than wide."