Redwoods

I've suddenly become fascinated in Redwoods - the giant kind! An excellent article in National Geographic (first time I've ever bought this publication) led to some googling and the discovery of a website focusing on Redwoods in the UK. It lists different trees all over the country, but Gwent (or what was Gwent) was noticable by its absence from the list.

I was pretty sure that our local Country Pak, one Tredegar House, was home to a number of Redwoods. Armed with the description of the needles in my mind, and my beautiful son, we set off on Saturday morning for a walk, a kick of the footy, and a redwood hunt at Tredegar Park.

Yes, I was right. There are several, in fact, well over a hundred Sequoiadendron giganteum (Giant Sequoia or Giant Redwood - the other large American species being Sequoia sempervirens) growing in the grounds of Tredegar house. They really are awesome trees, and these are just babies compared to the titans growing in California. My son now thinks I'm a tree-hugger! :)