Oak:
The oak spinney contains a mixture of native and exotic oaks planted about twelve years ago. They were germinated in about 1988. The spinney was thinned in autumn 2002 by removing the weakest trees and again in the spring of 2007.
The spinney is otherwise left to its own devices with a variety of wild flowers and leaf litter covering the ground.
Ash:
There is one hollow venerable (with a circumference of 4.2 metres). It is on the edge of an ash grove planted about ten years ago. One tree was pollarded in 2002. Leaves are raked every autumn. The grass is grazed by sheep at various times in the year. The shaded side of the grove is rich in cow parsley much loved by the sheep. Several other young ash trees are to be found in the barn paddock.
Elm:
There are maturing elm suckers (old enough to fall to Dutch Elm Disease) in two hedges on the south side of the holding.
Silver birch:
Four groups of silver birch trees are struggling.
Small leaved lime:
The avenue is bordered on both sides by small-leafed lime trees. The lowest branches are just within reach of the sheep who include it in their diet when they are grazing this area of the holding. The apiary is fenced off to protect the hives from being knocked over by the sheep.
Beech:
There are several young beech trees in various places around the holding.
Apple:
One mature cooker and several younger Bramleys.
Walnut:
One in the southern hedge by the gate out of the pony paddock.
Crab apple:
One in the hedge at the south west corner of the holding. Just a few nuts last year..
Cherry:
One bird cherry near the apiary.
Field maple:
Quite a few specimens mostly on the hedges, though there is one in the ash grove.
Pollarding ash trees provides all our winter firewood. Coppicing is not possible since sheep graze in the ash grove from time to time and they would destroy new growth on coppiced trees.
