A Pair of Coppers

The United Kingdom has been gripped by Jubilee fever as Queen Elizabeth marks the 70^th anniversary of her coronation. Around Betley Court, the village is decorated with union flag bunting and flags, giving a lovely celebratory air to Betley. Some bunting has found its way into the gardens too, curtesy of our residents. Bunting fluttering in the breeze is such a joyous sight!

One of our magnificent copper beech trees, beside thee Long Path

We recently had a visit from a landscape designer, who was interested in the historic landscape of our Georgian/Victorian gardens. By happy coincidence, she knew a great deal about the work of William Barron, the Victorian landscape gardener, who remodelled the gardens at Betley Court in 1865. Her attention was grabbed by a pair of mature copper beeches (Fagus sylvatica purpurea) that grow by the Long Path, and she was kind enough to share her theories on these trees.

Copper beeches are a cultivated form of beech tree (although purple leaved beech trees can occur spontaneously in nature). Their leaves range from a deep purple or marron to a more burnished copper colour, in contrast to the more common green beech. They are a bit of a 'Marmite' tree, with some prizing the copper leaves and others detesting what the see as an unatural leaf colour.

Deep maroon leaves of the copper beech 

Lighter copper-coloured leaves

Contrasted with the green leaves of the more common beech

Regular readers will know that William Barron was a hugely successful landscape gardener to the squirearchy. He knew everything there was to know about propagation, and specialised in formal landscapes, often including schemes with complex topiary features. One notable service he offered his wealthy clients was the ability to move semi-mature trees, to the extent he became known by his nickname “The Tree Mover”. He capitalised on his clients’ desire to create new landscape designs quickly, and made a good living helping clients achieve a new look for their landscape using existing trees.

Advertisement in Landscape and Garden magazine. Date unknown. Family collection

Another way he created a desired look quickly, was to “bundle” trees. I’d not come across this term before, but our landscape designing visitor pointed out why she thought our copper beech pair were “bundled” trees. Essentially, bundled trees are trees of the same species that are grown very closely together, so close, that the trunks touch, and rub, eventually causing wounds that heal, fusing the thinner trunks into one girthier one. That way, a substantial looking trunk can be achieved comparatively quickly.

Strong, vertical grooves running up the trunk, indicative of bundling

If you look at our copper beeches, clear vertical lines can be seen marking where the trunks fused. Where protrusions such as branches got in the way as the trees grew together, huge sculptural scars form. Having examined both trunks, it looks like four or five trees were bundled into each tree. The girth of a centuries old tree achieved in just over a hundred years.

Huge, sculptural scars where the trees fused

Fusion scaring

Of course, there are problems with this method. The fused trucks are potentially vulnerable to rot setting in, and will always be a weak point. But, as our copper beeches are at a good age, and in good health, it seems Barron knew what he was doing when he planted them!

All best wishes

Ladybird Su