Latest news with #RootedInCulture
The Independent
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Cedar climbed by Beatles and oak in Woolf poem among Tree of the Year nominees
A cedar tree climbed by The Beatles, an oak that may have inspired Virginia Woolf, and a lime representing peace in Northern Ireland are among those shortlisted for Tree of the Year 2025. Voting opens on Friday for the Woodland Trust's annual competition, which aims to celebrate and raise awareness for rare, ancient or at-risk trees across the country. The winner will be announced in September and will progress to represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year finals. Ten nominees from across the country have been chosen to meet this year's theme of 'Rooted in Culture', which seeks to highlight how trees inspire creative minds and become ingrained in our cultural landscape. As voting kicks off, Dame Judi Dench, who is patron of the Woodland Trust, said: 'Our oldest trees hold more stories than Shakespeare; some were putting down roots long before he began writing, more than 400 years ago. 'They are as much part of our heritage as any literature. 'I hope you will join me in voting.' A panel of experts selected nine trees of differing ages and species for the shortlist, while the public chose a 10th as a wildcard entry. This year, David Treanor, from Glasgow, put forward the 'Argyle Street Ash', pointing to its reference in James Cowan's 1935 book, From Glasgow's Treasure Chest, as 'quite the most graceful ash I have seen'. The shortlist also includes the Borrowdale Yews in Cumbria – a huddle of ancient trees described by William Wordsworth in his 1803 poem 'Yew Trees'. The Beatles' cedar tree in Chiswick, which is around 300 years old, was nominated given that the band perched on one of its low-swooping boughs in a video for their song Rain in 1966. The King of Limbs in Wiltshire made the list after Radiohead named their 2011 album after the ancient oak, which they spotted when recording at nearby Tottenham House. Also nominated is the Tree of Peace and Unity in County Antrim, Northern Ireland – a lime formed of two trees that grew together into a single trunk and became a symbol of reconciliation when leaders met there in 1998 at the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. The nominated Lollipop Tree on Salisbury Plain played a starring role in the final scenes of Sam Mendes's First World War film 1917 and the Lonely Tree in Llanberis, Wales, may feature in Netflix's upcoming series of The Witcher. And the Knole Park Oak in Kent, thought to be Britain's tallest at 135 feet, made the list as the tree believed to have inspired an epic poem in Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando. Voting is open until September 19 via the Woodland Trust website, with a winner to be announced on September 26. Laura Chow, head of charities at People's Postcode Lottery, which is supporting the competition, said: 'These trees have witnessed key moments in history, provided solace to war poets, been a supporting artist in a blockbuster film, and inspire reflection and creative photography as the seasons change.' 'We're looking forward to seeing which one the public votes as the winning tree'.
BBC News
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Tree of the Year shortlist includes cedar climbed by Beatles
A cedar tree climbed by The Beatles, an oak that may have inspired Virginia Woolf, and a King of Limbs near Marlborough are among ten nominees to be named Tree of the Year shortlisted entrants, chosen from across the UK, were selected to meet the theme of "Rooted in Culture", highlighting how trees have inspired creative minds and become ingrained in our cultural opens on Friday for the Woodland Trust's annual competition, which aims to celebrate and raise awareness for rare, ancient or at-risk trees across the winner will be announced in September and will progress to represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year finals. A panel of experts selected nine trees of differing ages and species for the shortlist, while the public chose the 10th as a wildcard the nominees are trees from all four UK countries, which have either featured, or inspired, poems, films, music videos and peace is particularly heavily represented with both the King of Limbs near Marlborough and the Lollipop Tree on Salisbury Plain, featuring on the included is the Beatles' cedar tree in Chiswick, which can be seen in the music video for their 1966 song Rain and the Tree of Peace and Unity in County Antrim, which played a role during the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Knole Park Oak in Kent, believed to have inspired an epic poem in Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando, also made the year's winner was Skipinnish Oak, in Lochaber, Scotland, which claimed 21% of the vote. In urging people to vote, Woodland Trust patron, Dame Judi Dench, said that "our oldest trees hold more stories than Shakespeare; some were putting down roots long before he began writing, more than 400 years ago"."They are as much part of our heritage as any literature," she added. Partial list of entrants Argyle Street Ash in Glasgow, ScotlandBeatles' cedar tree in ChiswickBorrowdale Yews in CumbriaKing of Limbs in WiltshireKnole Park Oak in KentLollipop Tree on Salisbury Plain, WiltshireLonely Tree in Llanberis, WalesTree of Peace and Unity in County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Argyle Street Ash nominated for Tree of the Year 2025
AN ash in Scotland's largest city has been shortlisted for the Woodland Trust's annual Tree of the Year competition. Known as the Argyle Street Ash, the Glasgow tree was nominated by local resident David Treanor, who noted its description in James Cowan's 1935 book From Glasgow's Treasure Chest as "quite the most graceful ash I have seen". This year's competition theme, 'Rooted in Culture,' seeks to spotlight trees that have inspired artistic expression or have become embedded in local heritage. A total of 10 trees from across the UK have been shortlisted. READ MORE: Scotland's volcanic landscape mystery solved by scientists with 'extraordinary' find Voting for the award opens on Friday, July 11, with the winner to be announced on September 26. The chosen tree will go on to represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year contest. Other contenders include a cedar tree in Chiswick famously climbed by The Beatles in a 1966 music video, a yew grove in Cumbria celebrated in a poem by William Wordsworth, and the Tree of Peace and Unity in County Antrim, a lime formed from two trees which became symbolic during the Good Friday Agreement. Also among the finalists are the King of Limbs oak in Wiltshire, which inspired the title of a Radiohead album, the so-called Lollipop Tree featured in the final scene of 1917, and the Knole Park Oak in Kent, thought to be the tallest in Britain and linked to Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando. Dame Judi Dench, patron of the Woodland Trust, has encouraged public participation in the vote. 'Our oldest trees hold more stories than Shakespeare,' she said. READ MORE: Historic Scottish hotel to be transformed following major hotelier purchase 'They are as much a part of our heritage as any literature. I hope you will join me in voting.' The competition, supported by the People's Postcode Lottery, aims to raise awareness of the importance of ancient, rare, and culturally significant trees. Laura Chow, head of charities at the lottery, said the shortlisted trees have 'witnessed key moments in history' and continue to inspire reflection and creativity. Public voting remains open until September 19 via the Woodland Trust's website.
Telegraph
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Cedar climbed by The Beatles among Tree of the Year nominees
A cedar tree climbed by The Beatles, an oak that may have inspired Virginia Woolf and a lime representing peace in Northern Ireland are among those shortlisted for Tree of the Year 2025. Voting opens on Friday for the Woodland Trust's annual competition, which aims to celebrate and raise awareness for rare, ancient or at-risk trees across the country. The winner will be announced in September and will represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year finals. Ten nominees from across the country have been chosen to meet this year's theme of 'Rooted in Culture', which seeks to highlight how trees inspire creative minds and become ingrained in our cultural landscape. 'More stories than Shakespeare' As voting begins, Dame Judi Dench, who is patron of the Woodland Trust, said: 'Our oldest trees hold more stories than Shakespeare; some were putting down roots long before he began writing, more than 400 years ago. 'They are as much part of our heritage as any literature. I hope you will join me in voting.' A panel of experts selected nine trees of differing ages and species for the shortlist, while the public chose a 10th as a wildcard entry. This year, David Treanor, from Glasgow, put forward the Argyle Street ash, pointing to its reference in James Cowan's 1935 book, From Glasgow's Treasure Chest, as 'quite the most graceful ash I have seen'. The shortlist also includes the Borrowdale Yews in Cumbria – a huddle of ancient trees described by William Wordsworth in his 1803 poem 'Yew Trees'. The Beatles' cedar tree in Chiswick, which is about 300 years old, was nominated because the band perched on one of its low-swooping boughs in a video for their song Rain in 1966. The King of Limbs in Wiltshire made the list after Radiohead named their 2011 album after the ancient oak, which they spotted when recording at nearby Tottenham House. Also nominated is the Tree of Peace and Unity in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland – a lime formed of two trees that grew together into a single trunk and became a symbol of reconciliation when leaders met there in 1998 at the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. The nominated Lollipop Tree on Salisbury Plain played a starring role in the final scenes of Sam Mendes's First World War film 1917 and the Lonely Tree in Llanberis, Wales, may feature in Netflix's upcoming series of The Witcher. The Knole Park Oak in Kent, thought to be Britain's tallest at 135ft, made the list as it is believed to have inspired an epic poem in Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando. Voting is open until Sept 19 via the Woodland Trust website, with a winner to be announced on Sept 26. Laura Chow, the head of charities at People's Postcode Lottery, which is supporting the competition, said: 'These trees have witnessed key moments in history, provided solace to war poets, been a supporting artist in a blockbuster film and inspire reflection and creative photography as the seasons change.' 'We're looking forward to seeing which one the public votes as the winning tree.'
