The uncertain future of Ayton’s Weeping Ash

In the annals of Scandinavian mythology, the ash went by the name ‘Yggdrasil,’ the tree of life, ‘the greatest and best of all trees. Its branches spread all over the world.’¹Mabey, Richard. “Flora Britannica”. Page 326. Reed International Books Ltd. 1996. ISBN 1 85619 377 2.

Now, I’m no tree whisperer, and botany isn’t exactly my strong suit. I’m hazarding a guess, but this seems to be the ‘Fraxinus excelsior,’ last year’s keys still hanging around. And for your enlightenment, this is the ‘Pendula‘ cultivar, the ‘weeping ash,’ if you will. The Victorians loved to plant these as an ornamental tree, thinking it added a touch of class to their gardens.

So, this noble specimen might have been strategically placed to enhance the view from Ayton Hall. It looks pretty lively, but surprise, surprise, its trunk is hollow, scorched by a score of fires. What’s the outlook for its future, you ask? Well, it’s under siege from the air by ‘Chalara fraxinea,’ the Ash dieback disease, and from within by the flames. Not good, I’d say.

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  Mabey, Richard. “Flora Britannica”. Page 326. Reed International Books Ltd. 1996. ISBN 1 85619 377 2.