Spooky tree-time at Exbury

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Dogwood (Cornus) will protect you from witches and wizards

If you go down to the woods this Hallowe’en, tread carefully and be scared. The trees might not be what they seem.

So says John Anderson, head gardener at Exbury, the world-famous woodland garden where thousands of trees flourish along the banks of the Beaulieu River in the New Forest.

Now visitors to the Gardens can explore the scary woodland for themselves with a trail, devised to take them past thirteen of the world’s spookiest trees including the Chinese Coffin Tree, the Devil’s Walking Stick and the Ghost Tree.

“Trees are ancient and beautiful living things,” said John Anderson “Many are the subject of legend associated with ghostly happenings, others are used in burial rituals, while others just look scary. Our Spooky Tree Trail explores all those aspects.”

The Chinese Coffin tree, Taiwania cryptomerioides, is used, as its name suggests for making coffins, while the trunk of the Devil’s Walking Stick, Kalopanax septemlobus, is covered with vicious spines. The Ghost Tree, Davidia involucrata, looks normal enough at this time of the year, but in the spring is covered with fluttering ghost-like bracts.

“We advise people to admire but not touch the Headache Tree (Umbellularia californica) because the scent given off by the aromatic leaves can cause violent headaches,” said John. “On the other hand  if you want to confound witches, take comfort in the Dogwood tree, Cornus florida or Cornus kousa, because the wood will protect you from evil spells.

“The Chinese Coffin tree is one of my favourite conifers, but I think the spookiest tree of all is the Devil’s Walking Stick – it looks scary,” he said.

Holly

There’s more witchcraft connected with the birch tree (Betula pendula) whose wood was always used to make witches’ broomsticks. Birch trees were traditionally planted outside stables so horses weren’t stolen for ‘hag-riding’ – the horsey equivalent of joy-riding.

Other trees with spooky legends attached include the Domesday Yew, beech, the Italian cypress, oak, mulberry and the Cedar of Lebanon. And of course there’s always the spiky-leaved, red-berried holly tree.

“We all know that Harry Potter’s wand was an unusual one,” said John. “Every young visitor will know that it was made from the wood of the holly tree which is another reason to admire this beautiful evergreen.”

Visitors can combine a walk round the Spooky Tree Trail with a ride on the Ghost Train, which runs from Monday October 27 to Sunday November 2 (bookings on 023 8024 5750) for a really scary Hallowe’en experience.

Exbury Gardens are open daily until November 9.