Review
Despite growing trees in her garden and woodland for over forty years, it was not until the hurricane of 1987 that Charlotte de la Bedoyere discovered the wonders of a natural woodland. Faced with the loss of many trees and the need for replanting, she chose to plant only those trees and shrubs which were native to Great Britain. That is, were around 10,000 years ago when Britain first separated from the rest of Europe. Few, if any still exist today and the inclusion of foreign 'invaders', be they flora or fauna, have meant a shift in balance to our natural woodlands. This book, aimed at the private gardener and landowner, is an inspirational guide to native trees and their planting. A chapter specifically on community planting by Andrew Beer of the Woodland Trust outlines the planning and organization of such a project in clear and concise terms which should assist those in charge of such a valuable undertaking. An A-Z directory of trees, shrubs and undergrowth plants is accompanied by clear photographs and descriptions together with a rough guide to the tree's inhabitants of birds and butterflies. Bearing in mind that most trees will long outlive the planter, the importance of correct site and planting cannot be over-emphasised and Charlotte de la Bedoyere does not hesitate to do so throughout the book together with the fact that woodlands are an essential part of our biodiversity. Today's mismanagement is already having knock-on effects on our lives with global warming and the destruction of many wildlife habitats. Trees are being felled ten times faster than they are being replanted. It is down to today's generation to ensure these valuable resources are not terminally destroyed and reading and taking action on this book will go a long way to help and educate the younger generation.
