Last April the Trust donated a Coast Redwood to Ipswich Arboretum. This time it’s a Beech, but a rather special Beech. On 3rd December last year Steve Leech and David Miller planted the Cut-leaf or Fern Leaf Beech donated by the Trust. It arrived in a 65 litre pot, is 10 feet tall and has been put in a superb location, on The Mound in the Upper Arboretum.
The Cut-Leaf has always been a favourite of the Keeper’s and on hearing that the Arboretum didn’t already have one it was an obvious choice. Its Latin name is Fagus sylvatica ‘Heterophylla’ and it sports the same smooth silver grey bark as other Beeches but has attractive narrow lance-shaped dark green leaves giving a feathery graceful form. It is a long lived, robust tree turning copper-gold in autumn.
Cobbolds and their Kin have walked in the arboretum since the earliest days. We contributed to the saving of the Christchurch Park over 100 years ago and many who have been mayors of Ipswich are commemorated on the Mayors’ Walk. By donating trees we hope that our great family’s continuing support will be appreciated in another 100 years time.
