Tree of the Year Winner 2022


Beechy, the winner of the second Calne Tree of the Year competition is a 20m high copper beech with a girth of 4.8 metres entered by Denis Robinson of Quemerford.

Here is Beechy's story, as told by Denis:
My name is Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea you can call me Beechy. Some say I am over 150 years old and that I am amongst the first of my family from Germany to be planted in England. Well, I don't know about that. What I do know is that I have stood here, through drought, flood, storm, heatwave and frost. During my life, much has happened. Kings and Queens have reigned and passed on. There were times of peace, and times of war. The land I stand on, and on which I live, has been part of a garden enjoyed by the owners and their friends. As their fortune's waned ownership passed to the community. Still, I remained. Sometimes I was cared for but sometimes neglected and ignored.
One day I was joined by my very distant cousin Taxus baccata. How he arrived by my side I don't remember. Perhaps dropped by a bird, perched on one of my branches, then pressed into the soil by the old leather boot of a gardener, or the dainty shoe of a lady resting against my trunk. Yew and I are brothers in arms, entwined below ground and sharing the same air above ground. For now, I protect him although I am 20 metres tall, and my waist is 4.8metres in circumference. I am showing signs of my age. I have been a host to beetles and the diseases they carry. There is no vaccine to protect me. One day, probably during a storm, I shall be blown over.
Parts of me will be taken away for use by man, but eventually I shall return to the soil from which I sprang to nourish and support new growth. For now, enjoy me, standing tall, in full colour or bare limbed, looking over Castlefields and the town of Calne.
To celebrate this wonderful tree, a new tree will be planted in Calne with the winner receiving a certificate.
Thank you for all of the wonderful tree submissions.
We look forward to seeing the trees submitted for the 2023 competition. For more information, head over to the website: https://bit.ly/CalneTreeCompetition

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