Notable Trees in Belsize

Belsize Park has more different tree species than most people realise, ranging from native to quite exotic trees. The traditional planting consists mainly of London Plane trees, Lime trees, Maples and Ash and magnificent old trees can still be seen in some of our local streets. Nowadays, many councils have adopted a different planting regime; favouring smaller spring-flowering trees such as cultivars of Hawthorn, Cherry, Apple, Pear and Juneberry. Due to climate change however, there is also an increasing trend to diversify and plant more exotic trees from further afield.

Copper Beech – credit: Chuck Despins

Location, scientific name, English name, year of introduction and origin
Swiss Cottage: Acer buergerianum, Trident Maple, 1896, E China and Korea
Haverstock Hill: Liriodendron tulipifera, Tulip Tree, 1680s, East USA
Fellows Road: Clerodendron trichtomum, Harlequin Glorybower, c1880 China and Japan; Paulownia tomentosa, Foxglove Tree, 1838, China (large blue trumpet-shaped flowers in April)
Lyndhurst Gardens: Fraxinus ornus, Manna Ash, late 1660s, South Europe and SW Asia (flowers profusely); Koelreuteria paniculata, Golden Rain Tree, 1763, Asia, China
Belsize Avenue: Tilia henryana, Henry’s Lime, 1901, C China (delicate leaves)
Lancaster Grove: Quercus suber, Cork Oak, late 1600s, S Europe and N Africa (bark to be admired)
Belsize Square: Lagerstroemia indica, Crape Myrtle, 1759, China & Korea (reddish crimped flowers)
Downside Crescent: Corylus Colurna, Turkish Hazel, 1582, SE Europe, Asia.

To learn more about the trees in London, go to treetalk.co.uk which maps many of the street trees: clicking the green circles representing the trees, gives useful information about each tree.

Please help look after the trees in your neighbourhood and water them regularly.
Newly planted trees need to be watered, especially during their first three years of growth. Some trees have a slow-release 50 litre green watering bag, fitted around the trunk. The bag has a small top opening through which water can be added.

Trees in Camden

Camden Council manages approximately 28,000 individual trees across the borough and 10-15,000 additional trees as part of sites of nature conservation. The trees are inspected every three years to check whether tree work is required. The Council aims to plant at least 400 trees each year, mostly as replacements. Over 3,500 trees are classed as juvenile, which means they are seedlings and saplings. Find out more about Camden’s trees here and details of tree specimens in Camden can be found on this website Trees in Camden Map Open Data Portal.
Two other useful Camden sites are Camden’s Tree Planting Strategy and Camden Tree Planning Guidance.

Did you know that you can:
– Offer to plant flowers in your street’s tree pits
– Ask to plant commemorative trees on council land
– Propose a new planting location on council land
– Learn more here

Planning consent is required for tree works in conservation areas and on trees with tree preservation orders (TPO). For guidance please check here.
Trees obstructing public highways: trees overhanging the pavement should have a minimum clearance height of 2.5m (or 5m above roads) and may be pruned to this height but more than 2.5m requires consent. Where the minimum clearance is not met, owners may be served with a notice to prune their trees. For full information, see here.
Bushes and foliage overhanging pavements: send a photograph and details of the location to your local ward councillor (email addresses can be found here). Alternatively, email streetworks@camden.gov.uk or comment online on this page. If you prefer to phone, ask for option 6, then trees, then trees on public land.
To see if any tree works are planned in your area, please look for applications with the suffix ‘/T’ in the weekly planning lists here.