National Arboretum is great to visit all year – not just on Remembrance Sunday
THE National Arboretum holds special services on Remembrance Sunday every year, but its woodlands and gardens make it an interesting place to visit at any time.
The arboretum in Alrewas has 30,000 trees that put on colourful displays each autumn
The 150-acre arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire, has 30,000 trees that put on ever-more colourful displays each autumn, as well as being a fascinating place to explore in spring and summer.
Some of the trees are particularly special to the memorial areas they have been planted in, so there are tulip trees and dogwoods in the Far East area with cork oaks and black pines in the Mediterranean campaigns area.
Dawn redwoods have been planted by the memorial to the British Korean veterans and there is an avenue of London plane trees funded by the UK’s Police Forces.
Horse chestnut trees have also been planted courtesy of the police, because the first police truncheons were made from conker trees.
Some of the trees are particularly special to the memorial areas they have been planted in
Dawn redwoods have been planted by the memorial to the British Korean veterans
The National Arboretum is open every day except Christmas Day and entrance is free although donations are welcomed
Recently a blanket of snowdrops have been planted beneath the trees of the Ulster Ash Grove and in the summer there are also lovely poppy displays.
The National Arboretum is open every day except Christmas Day and entrance is free although donations are welcomed.
Children have their own woodland and activity area, and there are bug explorer back packs to borrow plus school holiday and regular events.
Trail sheets and pond dipping equipment is available for a fee, although visitors can take their own nets.
The gardens are open from 9am until 5pm or until dusk in winter
The history of the poppy
The gardens are open from 9am until 5pm or until dusk in winter, and there is also a visitor centre with a café bar and gift shop.
For more information about the arboretum and events go to www.thenma.org.uk .