You’ve probably seen a few weeping trees — like the Weeping Cherry Tree and the better-known Weeping Willow. Now, here’s a weeping elm. This one is called the Camperdown Elm. And look at what a beauty it is.
Recently, when we were touring Filoli Gardens right here in San Francisco Bay Area, my eyes caught a lush green canopied corner in one of the gardens there. I walked right into the greenness and found that there was just one tree there. Its boughs had spread out and down to the ground making the most charming natural umbrella you can think of.
Having instantly fallen in love with this tree, I just spent some time gazing at it. And then I just had to what I had to do to bring back some pictures of this weeping beauty.
The story of the Camperdown Elm
An information plaque by the tree told me this was the Camperdown Elm or the ‘Ulmus glabra Camperdownii.’ It went on to say that all Camperdown Elms can be traced to singe muteant tree that was discovered in Scotland.
A bit of reading tells me that in the 1830s an unusual Scotch elm (Ulmus glabra) with its branches bowing down to the earth, was found in Earl of Camperdown’s forest in Dundee, Scotland. The Earl’s chief forester decided to move it and replant in in the Camperdown Garden where it still stands today. And it is interestingly only around 3m in height. David Taylor, the chief forester, who had initially found this tree, is said to have taken one of its branches and grafted it onto a Wych Elm and soon there was the Camperdown Elm or the ‘Ulmus glabra Camperdownii.
What a work of art the Camperdown Elm is!
Have you spotted one yet? If you’d like to see this beautiful elm when you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, (it is quite a sight to see, is it not?) it is in Filoli Gardens. Look for it near the estate’s Bowling Green. There’s not a chance you’ll miss it. It is quite an attraction.
Now, I’d like to go see it in its fall colors.
Linking to
Thursday Tree Love
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