Coppicing time

     Redwoods are native to North America but became fashionable trees to plant in  the UK from around the 1890s, when seeds starting to be brought back and sold to nurserymen. Crow Wood is privileged to be the home of a wonderful specimen of Sequoia sempervirens, the Coast Redwood. We have no knowledge of when Big Red was planted but guess from its girth that it is well over a 150 years old. It has withstood many a storm and must have been one of the few trees still standing in Crow Wood after the hurricane of 1987, as was the case in exposed sites all along the greensand ridge - the redwoods managed to stay upright due to their ability to root deep into rocky terrain. 
      Since owning the wood, we have planted a few more redwoods as they do so well there and are such amazing trees. Purests would perhaps argue that they are non-natives and should not be in an English wood at all, but we like the diversity they bring and also the home they provide for small birds such as Goldcrests. Long after I am gone there will be a fine grove around Big Red and hopefully people will pass by and appreciate that there is a little bit of California to be enjoyed near Goudhurst.
 

our Big Red

      

A young Redwood, about 5 years old

This is Little Red, planted out as a 8' high sapling in 2006. This tree is just getting its spongy bark, a distinctive feature of this species. It helps the tree survive forest fires and is the reason why it has its Latin name of Sequoia sempervirens, which translates as "always living".