A dozen Lee residents joined the Lee Manor Society’s Spring Tree Walk on a sweltering hot Saturday, May 31.
The walk, led by Society members Charles Batchelor and David Ford, started in Old Road, where residents have planted a range of new varieties including several magnolias and snow bells. It moved on into Manor House Gardens which has a rich mix of native and non-native varieties including, among the latter, swamp cypress (southern United States), cider gum (Tasmania) and holm oak (Mediterranean coast).
Highlight of the walk was the tulip tree (pictured), another North American transfer, whose yellow-green flowers are often obscured by leaves but which was clearly in full bloom. An autumn walk is planned for later in the year.
If you want to find the Tulip Tree it is growing in the enclosed grassy area of the Gardens and near the Ice House. From a distance we didn’t spot any flowers and then Charles drew our attention to them. They really do look like pale yellow tulip flowers in shape and colour and the leaves also have a shape like a silhouette of a tulip flower.