Cllr Steven Lugg, Chairman of the East Dorset District Council; Cllr John Adams, Mayor of Bournemouth; Cllr Shane Bartlett, Mayor of Wimborne at Kingston Lacy for the tree planting ceremony ©National Trust
Cllr Steven Lugg, Chairman of the East Dorset District Council planting the Cedar of Lebanon at Kingston Lacy ©National Trust
Mrs Mary Fielding, Chairlady of the Bournemouth and Poole National Trust Association, opening the tree planting by the Liquidambar at Kingston Lacy © National Trust
Two new large trees have been planted in the gardens at Kingston Lacy to mark the 30th Anniversary of the Bournemouth and Poole National Trust Association.
The National Trust team from Kingston Lacy were joined by 75 members of the Bournemouth and Poole National Trust Association along with Cllr Steven Lugg, Chairman of East Dorset District Council, Cllr John Adams, Mayor of Bournemouth and Cllr Shane Bartlett, Mayor of Wimborne to plant the 5-6 metre tall Liquidambar and Cedar of Lebanon.
Guests were welcomed by Mary Fielding, Chairlady of the Bournemouth and Poole National Trust Association before the ceremonial planting of the Liquidambar. “Today we are making history” said Mrs Fielding. “We have the unique opportunity to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Bournemouth and Poole National Trust Association by planting these trees at Kingston Lacy. As a group we have raised around £140,000 over the 30 years which is a fantastic testament to the hard work and dedication of all our members.”
The Cedar of Lebanon has historical importance to Kingston Lacy and joins an avenue of trees previously planted by King Edward VII, Prince Charles and Kaiser Wilhelm II. The councillors were joined by six members of the Bournemouth and Poole National Trust Association who have been members for 30 years.
The Bournemouth National Trust Centre began life in 1985 when the original Christchurch Association split into two groups. In 2001 the Bournemouth Centre became the Bournemouth Association and following the dissolve of the Dorset Centre it changed its name to Bournemouth and Poole Association in 2006.
It is now 30 years since the association started organising outings, holidays, lunches and talks for the enjoyment of its members, all the while supporting the National Trust by promoting its cause and raising funds to support projects of all shapes and sizes.
“Today has been a very special day for us” said Andrew Hunt, Head Gardener. “The work that Bournemouth and Poole National Trust Associations do is fantastic, the money raised every year goes towards special projects at the Dorset properties including the garden and helps us carry out essential conservation work needed to present the garden and property to the highest standard possible. Today was a way of celebrating this achievement and a thank you to the past 30 years. These trees will live for many years and complement the garden greatly.”
These trees are set to stand the test of time and will hopefully stand proudly at Kingston Lacy for the next 200-400 years.
