The Mayor Cllr Alan Downing, Mayoress Ross Downing and the Deputy Lieutenant of Bexley Major David Hewer andhis wife Tessa.

Rare tree plantedin Bexley to mark jubilee - on Queen’s own request

Thursday, June 7, 2012
4:00 PM

A rare black poplar tree was planted in Bexley to mark the start of the borough’s jubilee celebrations.

Mayor Alan Downing and Deputy Lieutenant of Bexley Major David Hewer were at Hall Place Gardens for the planting ceremony

Each of London’s 32 boroughs has been presented with a tree to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee.

Major Hewer said: “Today all over the land Deputy Lieutenants and Mayors are planting black poplar trees as a means of commemorating the diamond jubilee – just as the Queen wished.”

The native trees used to be a common sight across England, but are now an endangered species, with only 8,000 of them remaining in Britain.

The species is struggling to reproduce naturally as they are either male or female, with only 400 females left.

The Queen has recognised this and has favoured planting Black Poplar saplings on her estates and in the Royal Parks. The Black Poplar joins a collection of over 700 trees from across the world on the Hall Place Estate.