A colossal 45-year year old tree has been planted at Beaulieu in Chelmsford as part of the extensive programme of landscaping of the new development. Standing at 11 metres high, the Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca’) is the largest tree that will be planted at Beaulieu and one of the tallest ever planted by developers Countryside and L&Q.
The evergreen tree supplied by Von Ehren, one of Europe’s leading tree nurseries, has a girth of 90cm and its canopy has a spread of six metres. Frequently found in the gardens and parklands of stately homes and country estates, the cedar is a fitting choice for Beaulieu, formerly part of the historic estate parkland once owned by King Henry VIII which surrounded his Tudor Palace known as ‘Beaulieu’, now home to New Hall School . This species has a lifespan of hundreds of years so it will live to be part of the landscape of Beaulieu for many generations to come.
The tree has been planted at the main entrance to Beaulieu on White Hart Lane and, alongside it will be a major piece of public art depicting a group of deer by sculptor Jane Ackroyd again to tie in with the heritage of the site.
The historic landscape is at the heart of the plans for Beaulieu, which will see 3,600 new homes built over the next two decades across a series of distinct new neighbourhoods, along with an extensive range of amenities and infrastructure, connected by a network of green open spaces and parkland. A large number of other trees are also being planted from large specimen trees to saplings and hedge laying is under way, a traditional technique used to rejuvenate the existing hedgerows that provide an essential habitat and source of food for wildlife.
Andrew Carrington, Managing Director, Strategic Land at Countryside said: “As we did at Beaulieu Park, we always strive wherever possible, to plant a combination of mature and semi-mature trees on our schemes from the outset. Although the job is not for the faint-hearted it is fundamental to creating a sense of place and identity. The planting of this magnificent cedar at the entrance to Beaulieu reflects the heritage of the site and the existing parkland setting of New Hall. We have a long-term commitment to enhancing and conserving the valuable natural assets that make Beaulieu unique.”
Jerome Geoghegan, Group Director, Development and Sales at L&Q says “We are delighted to have planted this magnificent cedar tree at the entrance of Beaulieu. As well as establishing such a glorious natural marker to welcome everyone to the site, this symbolises our total commitment to enhance Beaulieu’s natural setting. This is just the start of a major tree-planting and long term parkland management programme which will bring benefits to everyone in the area, as well as create a great place for people to put down roots and build new futures for themselves.”
