The collection consists of many champion trees, many of which were among the first planted in the UK. The trees originate from many continents and countries including Japan, China, North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Middle East and India.
Find out about our trees
Giant Redwoods
Sequoiadendron giganteum
These grow to be some of the largest trees in the world. Nicknamed the ‘severn sisters’, our small grove of…
View treeDawn redwood
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
A beautiful deciduous conifer species, with a wonderful soft fluted trunk and delicate feather like foliage. It is a well-known…
View treeHandkerchief Tree
Davidia involucrata
First recorded in Tibet in 1869 by a French missionary botanist Father Armand David after whom it got its scientific…
View treeCaucasian Alder
Alnus subcordata
The Caucasian alder is native to Iran and the Caucasus mountains, where it grows in river valleys and gorges. Planted…
View treePreviously abandoned
After a period of successful management by the nearby HMP Leyhill Prison, the arboretum fell into neglect at the beginning of the 21 century, and was abandoned to bramble and invasive rhododendron. In 2015 we began the daunting task of starting to clear and restore the woodland, our community of volunteers very much enjoying the challenge!
Replanting
We are now in the process of begining to replant the arboretum. To guide us we have had a planting policy commisioned. This helps us select species, with set criteria:
- Characterise Tortworth’s Spirit of Place and the Ducie inheritance
- Enhance Landscape and Seasonal Interest for visitors
- Support the programme of Education and Wellbeing
- Conserve the arboretum’s Dendrological Interest
- Support Wildlife Conservation and Biodiversity
Sponsor a tree
By sponsoring you’ll be making a substantial gift to the arboretum, ensuring it is cared for and supported for generations to come.
You can either sponsor one of our existing champion trees or select an exciting new species to add to the collection.