Long-lived lime

A new tree has just arrived here at RHS Garden Harlow Carr, planted in the lawn just beyond the Winter Walk in its own neat tree circle. The tree is no taller than me at the moment, its graceful young stems already displaying the elegance of the mature tree to come. But the new stems are bright orange. How can this be?

The heart-shaped leaves are the right shape, but that twig colour? I’ll keep you guessing no longer, it’s a lime, or more properly, Tilia cordata ‘Winter Orange’. Many visitors mistook the young tree for a willow or an acer, even a dogwood, but it is just that surprising revelation when you discover a new form or cultivar that makes you take a fresh look at a plant or a genus you thought you knew.

Limes, or lindens, are so familiar to us in the landscape, planted in avenues, on village greens, or in city streets, giving their name to places, that we almost forget to look at them or think about their history. Both the small-leaved lime, or Tilia cordata, and the large-leaved lime, or Tilia platyphyllos, are native to these islands and are the parents to the common lime, or Tilia x vulgaris, the tree commonly planted in those stately avenues of historic houses.

Limes have an ancient history in this country, much more entwined with daily life in the past than nowadays. In today’s industrial age of metal and plastic with cheap fossil fuels, we no longer rely on lime wood for burning or for making products as we did in the past, and that past is a long one. Tree experts have calculated that some coppiced lime trees in British woodlands could be 1,000 years old and it is possible to extend the life of Tilia cordata almost indefinitely by coppicing. There is some argument and speculation amongst experts, that some of these coppiced ‘stools’ could be up to 6,000 years old, which would make them older than some ancient yews and therefore possibly the oldest living plant in the British Isles.

The wood harvested from these coppices is soft, smooth and easily worked. It is often called the sculptor's wood for its working characteristics with the ability to create light and airy carved forms, almost as if the graceful form of the living tree finds expression in the final carved piece of art. To appreciate how well lime wood responds to the carver's art, look no further than the carved wall friezes of Grinling Gibbons (1648-1721) at Chatsworth and further afield in St Paul’s Church Covent Garden where lime wood has been transformed into exuberant flowers and fruit.

The single specimen lime tree at full mature height is a thing of extreme beauty, some would say it is one of our most beautiful trees. Planted in long avenues, marching into the distance of a noble estate, the effect is magnificent. However, most ordinary folk do not garden on anywhere near that kind of scale, so this wild beauty has to be tamed.

Just as our ancestors knew that lime trees can endure hard pruning to provide raw materials, so gardeners and nurserymen took to pruning for shape, form and smaller spaces. Lime is well known for its ability to accept formal pruning and training of branches. A trip to Levens Hall in Cumbria will not only reward you with the sight of amazing yew topiary, but you will be able to walk through and around the pleached lime arch of the Fountain Court. The space is not huge so I need no more convincing that I can also have lime with my cocktails in my small back garden. Maybe some orange too?

Harlow Carr Diary Dates

10-12 June: RHS Harlow Carr Flower Show

This three-day floral extravaganza is Harlow Carr’s first flower show, set in the glorious surroundings of the garden in its early summer splendour. Visitors will be able to browse, buy, and pick up advice from more than 30 specialist nurseries and garden trade stands and enjoy a full programme of talks and demonstrations. Entrance is included in normal garden entry and the show is open from 10am to 5pm each day. Only disabled and pre-booked coach parking is available at the garden. Public parking is located at the Great Yorkshire Showground: a complimentary park and ride service will be in operation with buses to and from the show every 15 minutes from 9.30am to 6.30pm.

13-19 June: British Flower Week at Harlow Carr

‘Flowers from the Farm’ will showcase the very best in British home grown cut flowers as part of Harlow Carr’s first flower show on 10-12 June. Their beautiful displays will remain in the garden for visitors to enjoy throughout British Flowers Week.

Events at RHS Garden Harlow Carr are FREE with the normal garden entrance fee, except where stated.

As the UK’s leading gardening charity, the proceeds taken from events and tickets sales at all RHS gardens help to fund the many activities undertaken by the RHS to promote horticulture and help gardeners. For further information call 01423-565418.