Ash is a widespread, native woodland tree that prefers moist, well-drained and fertile soils. It is very intolerant of shade – young trees will fail to grow in densely shaded areas. Large, spreading specimens can often be seen in hedgerows. A mature ash can produce 100,000 seeds in one season.

Happy #FolkloreThursday! Today's feature is the rowan tree!

Get your camera ready because we have an exciting photo competition! 📷️ To celebrate our annual "Spring in Your Step" campaign, we would love for you to take part in a social media photography competition.

Now is the perfect time to start identifying flowers on trees! 🌸 Here are a few to get you started. #SpringinYourStep

Our Senior Community Planting Projects Officer, Adam, spotted Elder getting ready to show off its flowers! The flowers and berries of elder have a wide range of culinary uses, being made into wines or jams. The flower buds can be infused as a tea!

Win a copy of Nigel Adams’ Hedgelaying: The Complete Guide to a Rural Traditional Rural Craft Competition open to UK residents only. Competition closes at midnight on Sunday 19 April 2026. treecouncil.org.uk/competition/

In the latest Tree Talk Substack article we sat down with Tree Council expert, Joe Coles to talk about the benefits of growing trees, and what he’s growing at home in his garden! Head over to Tree Talk to read the latest Substack article. treetalk.substack.com/p/bringing-n...

Let's celebrate spring! Today is the first day of Spring in Your Step! Taking a walk in springtime can be an invigorating and therapeutic experience for both mind and body.

We had a fantastic evening at the Open Eye Gallery in Liverpool last Friday! Young artists Sonia Poppi and Cara Ng, whose work has been previously exhibited as part of the gallery’s LOOK Climate Lab programme, lead on ‘Bookmark Your Tree’.

Jon Stokes, our Director of Trees, Science and Research, spotted this beautiful comma butterfly that has emerged from hibernation. "Its first need is nectar, which it gets from the early sallow flowers. The sallow gets pollinated and the butterfly gets energy. We love the web of life!"

An abundance of turkey tail on a fallen crab apple branch, spotted by our Grants Officer, Geraldine. Let us know what fungi you have spotted recently! #FungiFriday

A new traditional orchard is taking shape at Naunton Beauchamp, Worcestershire! Planted by The Heart of England Forest and their volunteers, this will be one of the largest new orchards established in the region for decades, helping to restore a habitat that has been disappearing across the UK.

Join us this Friday 27 March, 6pm – 8pm at the Open Eye Gallery in Liverpool, to explore the creative connection between people, trees and the natural world. Head over to our website to find out more >> treecouncil.org.uk/tree-tales-a...

Spring has arrived across the country! 🌸 Now is the time to start spotting tree flowers and the team at The Tree Council has been spotting plenty! Our Spring in Your Step campaign starts next month and we can't wait to celebrate spring with recommended walks, tree flower ID guides and more.

Our Director of Trees, Science and Research, Jon, spotted an oak beauty moth! "At this time of the year, the first moths take to the wing. This is an oak beauty which starts flying in February and March. One of the prettiest early moths, the caterpillars feed on oak, hazel and aspen."

Our latest Tree Talk is now live! Read all about the issues highlighted in this Winter Tree Health Operations Forum update... open.substack.com/pub/treetalk...

Happy spring equinox! How will you be celebrating? We can't wait to continue to see all the wonderful seasonal changes happening. 💚

Happy #FolkloreThursday Today's folklore feature is yew!

Did you know that trees are a great way to reduce noise and traffic pollution? Last week, pupils and Tree Council corporate partners planted trees along the perimeter of Pinkwell and Harlington's school field, which is situated right next to the busy M4.

This is blackthorn and cherry plum that is currently out. We've had quite a few of you asking what the difference is between the two. Blackthorn flowers are half the size of cherry plum flowers. Blackthorn is the size of a small fingernail, whilst the cherry plum is the size of a large fingernail.

Happy #FungiFriday! This is yellow stagshorn, which is common throughout Britain and Ireland. It can be found mostly on the roots and stumps of conifer trees. It has orange-yellow arms that resemble antlers, hence the name yellow stagshorn!

Charlie, our Tree Warden Scheme Volunteer Engagement Officer, visited what could be the oldest oak tree in the Wirral, at around 450-600 years old! Our magnificent oak trees are steeped in folklore! Did you know that carrying oak leaves would protect people from evil?

Did you know that more than 20 million elm trees were lost during the 1960s and 1970s due to Dutch elm disease? Thanks to funding from the Trees Outside Woodland Fund, Hampshire Forest Partnership has planted over 1000 disease-resistant elm trees across Hampshire this winter.

Dogwood. This medium to large, native, deciduous shrub or small tree grows naturally across much of Britain, except for northernmost Scotland. Small flowers can be seen in spring at the end of twigs in dense clusters, which are followed by small, black berries in autumn.

This edition of Tree Talk features an extract from Luke Barley’s new book, Ancient: Reviving the Woods that Made Britain. Head over to Tree Talk to read more >> open.substack.com/pub/treetalk...

Me too!

Fabulous day with #REAP planting Leeds’s newest orchard thank to @thetreecouncil.bsky.social and trees supplied by @fruitworkscoop.bsky.social

Happy #InternationalWomensDay from Team Tree Council!💚 Today, we want to share stories from some of our wonderful female team members! 💚

Happy #FungiFriday! Our Tree Warden Scheme Volunteer Engagement Officer, Charlie, spotted scarlet elf cup in Colwich. They can be found growing on decaying wood and branches beneath the leaf litter.

Our National Tree Warden Scheme Coordinator, Sam and Tree Warden Scheme Volunteer Engagement Officer, Charlie, were in Cannock Chase and decided to pay a visit to the Six Crones, which are a group of magnificent beech trees.

Thanks to a grant from our SP Energy Networks Community Tree Planting Fund, Scotland's leading rural university - SRUC - is researching the Miyawaki methodology (two plots, same design, different ground prep) and growing new learning opportunities all at once. 🌱

Book giveaway time! Win a copy of Ancient by Luke Barley! Head over to our website to enter the competition now. treecouncil.org.uk/competition

The London plane has distinctive bark with large plates that flake off, leaving creamy patches. As a result, it copes well with pollution, and was planted widely in urban streets and squares in the 18th and 19th centuries, changing forever the treescape of British cities.

We had a fantastic tree planting day at Stanton Low Country Park in Milton Keynes, with brilliant volunteers from Kiwa UK & Ground Control. We planted native tree species to create a new woodland space that will grow to support biodiversity and establish new nesting sites for local wildlife. 💚

Our Director of Programmes, Partnership & Comms, Clare, spotted the first cherry plum blossom of the year! Who else has spotted blossom? Let us know in the comments and tag us in your photos! Its scientific name is Prunus cerasifera. The word cerasifera means 'bearing cherry-like fruits'.

Tiny Forests are small but mighty! @earthwatcheurope.bsky.social was in St Mark’s Park, Swindon, planting a new Tiny Forest. They were joined by pupils from St Mary’s Catholic Primary School and Ferndale Primary School, plus members of the local community.

Spotting catkins on trees 🌳 Catkins are clusters of tiny flowers that grow on some trees and allow them to reproduce. Here are just some of the trees with catkins!

Just look at the size of that fungus! Happy #FungiFriday! This is giant polypore, which is common throughout Britain and Ireland. It is a large fungus that grows in clusters, resembling woody plates. It grows at the base of trees or on buried roots.

What does the future hold for our oak trees? Join us for a webinar panel discussion to discuss our upcoming new report, The State of the UK's Oaks, and its findings. Tuesday 17 March, 2026, 2pm-3pm Book here https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RyAaAp_EQ72AY8DxX2VpdQ#/registration

Happy #FolkloreThursday! Today's folklore feature is the ginkgo biloba. Watch the video to find out folklore facts about this tree!

Charlie, our Tree Warden Scheme Volunteer Engagement Officer, spotted the Kirby pine, known locally as the broccoli tree! This is a stone pine, which is a tree that is native to the Mediterranean region. Mature trees produce cones, from which edible pine nuts are extracted for making pesto.

Who wants to go on a walk and see some trees?

Happy Valentine's Day! 💚 Mutualism is a type of symbiosis where the relationship between all species benefits from their interactions. Today, we're going to share some examples of trees and other species sharing the love. 💚

This is yellow brain fungus! This parasitic brain-like fungus feeds on wood-rotting fungi such as rosy crust fungus. The best place to see it is in woodlands on deadwood branches of deciduous trees.

Happy #FolkloreThursday! In English Folklore, willow trees were seen as sinister, as they were believed to uproot themselves and stalk people passing by. How spooky! 👀 (c) Louise McGovern

"The end of winter - it is a really good time to see lichens in all their glory. Look at these beautiful colours on a field maple twig." - Jon Stokes, Director of Trees, Science and Research.

Without their cloaks of distinctive leaves, you could be forgiven for thinking that deciduous trees can all sort of look the same in winter, bare and twiggy.

Did you know that the sun won't set before 5pm until the 25th October. That's just what we wanted to hear! Brighter days are coming. 🌿

Lend us an ear! Our National Tree Warden Scheme Coordinator, Sam, spotted plenty of jelly ear fungus on her walk the other week. This gelatinous, ear-like fungus can be found upon rotting wood, all year round, with peak abundance in winter.

Competition time! We have five 1L bundles of fantastic Faith In Nature goodies to give away. Head over to our website to enter! treecouncil.org.uk/competition/