Trees in town and city.

  • Great Britain. Ministry of Housing and Local Government.
Date:
1958
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Trees in town and city. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    33/96 (page 23)
    <p) ~ ~ Soe ~— nae =— Nien > 4 ms , re See —_—“= SS “xn Sta. — Py tun - 1 med _, As Sra DBE Improvement and gradual change Determined straightforward planting in urban areas as they stand, without regard to their possible redevelopment in the distant future, has sometimes been well worth while. The rows of small houses opening directly on to the pavements of “‘ byelaw ” streets in Bermondsey are typical of east and south London districts; but, mainly through the initiative of the late Dr. and Mrs. Salter, the atmosphere of these streets is much more pleasant than that of comparable streets in other boroughs. 9,000 trees were planted in them in the early twenties, and these, with the flower gardens on every spare patch of land, have brought untold pleasure to the people who live there. Over a third of the trees planted were black Italian poplars; one-fifth were London planes; there were many ailanthus, lime, acacia, maple and laburnum, and some silver birch, ash, Cornish elm, horse-chestnut, catalpa, birch, rowan and sycamore. Purple plums and double rose- coloured cherries were also tried but they did not succeed. Most of the other trees. have survived (figs. 62 and 63). To-day, in areas like Bermondsey, redevelopment, if it has not already begun, is a much more real prospect than it was 35 years ago. Any trees planted now along the streets are quite likely to obstruct eventual realignment or widening and have to be taken out; moreover big trees planted in narrow streets, such as the planes in fig. 63, tend to grow too big for their positions and are difficult to cultivate and prune. But such considerations would not have daunted the Salters and ought not to prevent planting in older areas. Four points are worth considering. First, inter- esting effects can be achieved by some concentra- tion of big trees into suitable spaces and the use of carefully chosen smaller species in narrow streets. Second, healthy trees which get in the way of re- development are not necessarily doomed. It may be practicable to shift them to better positions—quite large specimens can now be transplanted (figs. 103 and 104, page 42). Third, the layout and landscape of the long-term future can be planned, at least provisionally, and trees planted where they will ultimately stand. To establish a pattern of trees is a good way to begin the transition to a new environ- ment, and justifies taking the risk that there may be a change of plan. Finally, tree planting is an inexpensive way of improving towns. In many older areas the transition is going on gradually all the time. Houses having a long span of useful life stand among others which must soon be demolished. Urban renewal takes place bit by bit, and rebuilding does not always follow demoli- tion immediately. Some of the land freed and remaining vacant until other demolitions make new patterns of development feasible can, at least