Walthamstow - Springfield Park (London)

Giant Redwood - August 2022

Sharon wrote to say "When I was in Oxford recently I found some trees which looked remarkably like Giant Sequoias which I thought only grew in the west coast of the US. After a search I came across your website which confirmed that they were indeed Redwoods here in the UK and that others existed too. The ones I saw in Oxford were noted on your site in Hinksey Park. But then while out walking in London, I saw this tree (see attached photos), in Springfield Park near Walthamstow. It isn't that big, 20 feet perhaps, but certainly looks like a Giant Redwood by the foliage. It's at the south southwest corner of the park near the most westerly entrance of the two Springfield road entrances." Thank you for letting me know about this young tree. It's good to hear of young Giant Redwoods being planted in places like Walthamstow. I found an online leaflet produced by the park cafe called "Springfield Park Trees of Interest". It mentions the Giant Redwood (11) and also a Dawn Redwood (10) and a Coast Redwood (86). The map shows the Dawn Redwood is near to the pond and the Giant Redwood. Unfortunately I could not find the Coast Redwood (86) on the map, although perhaps it is a typo and is marked as (87) which is east of the bandstand near an area of woodland.

An interesting quote from the leaflet: At the ceremony to open the park, on the 15 August, 1905 the Clerk of the Council stated, "This beautiful park is now destined to minister to the health and happiness of the present and future generations of the enormous, and in many cases overcrowded, population of the surrounding districts."

Giant Redwood - August 2022

Giant Redwood foliage - August 2022