115. Turing Ash
Central Manchester has dozens of landmarks, a monumental ash being one of them.
Alan Turing was many things: a brilliant computer scientist, a gay man facing unbearable discrimination, a national hero. His statue was erected in 2001 in Sackville Gardens close to Canal Street and Manchester's Gay Village. It is shaded by a tall, well-proportioned ash tree that was probably planted around 1900 when the Gardens were first laid out.
Species details
Ash
Fraxinus excelsior
Where to find it
Sackville Gardens, Sackville Street, Manchester M1 3WA
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Ash tree notes
Monosyllabic ‘ash’, like ‘oak’, is an ancient word, its simplicity suggesting the ubiquity and importance of this tree species to hundreds of generations of humans. Ash trees are one of the most common species in Britain and Ireland, they thrive in environments many species would struggle with and can grow into huge, handsome trees in woodland, in hedgerows and as upland landmarks. But they are facing a catastrophe in the shape of ash dieback, a disease that is devastating ash populations across Europe including in Britain and Ireland. The disease is caused by a fungus whose spores spread rapidly, especially in woodland situations. Individual specimen trees not surrounded by other ashes are more likely to avoid it, so urban trees like this one may be able to cling on.
Other ash trees
Late summer and autumn guided tree walks
Just announced: a programme of London walking tours taking many different aspects of the city and its urban forest.
If you are interested in trees or London, then these walks are for you. All the walks in this programme are led by me, Paul Wood. It’s a way to share my knowledge and passion, and, I hope, to show you London in a completely new way: through its trees.
I have curated each walk to both explore an interesting part of the city and to highlight some fascinating trees. Some of the walks have previously featured in my books either in part or whole, while others are completely new.
Saturday 31st August – Highgate: Surprising Trees in North London
Taking in rare elms, a veteran oak and the finest strawberry tree in London, this walk is full of surprises. Starting on Navigator Square outside Archway tube station, we scale the heights of Dartmouth Park Hill where we visit delightful Waterlow Park. From here, it’s on to Highgate Village before we walk downhill via a landmark London plane tree to Highgate tube station.
Sunday 1st Sept – Ealing: Urban Myths and Magnificent Trees
Have you heard the one about an elephant buried beneath an oak tree in Ealing? This fantastic story may or may not be true, but there’s certainly an old oak tree known as the Elephant Tree in W4, which we will make a beeline for.
So pleased to learn there is a statue of Alan Turing. 🖤
…Blueberry ash — plus bottlebrush and red flowering gum — line my street here in an inner suburb of Sydney. 🫐🍂
Very majestic tree. Please protect your ash trees..ours here in America are bring devastated by the emerald ash borer beetle, a murderous invasive from Asia.