At the far end of the Wootton Road in Abingdon a “Beware ! Uneven Footway” sign has appeared near Abingdon and Witney College.

Chestnut tree roots growing under the footway have cracked and lifted the pavements creating a trip hazard.

An oak tree was planted in Albert Park in commemoration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Felicity Dick, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Oxfordshire, planted the tree.

The spade used was loaned by Abingdon School and is the same spade used by Mrs Thatcher and The Princess Royal and others.

Albert Park is owned by the Christ’s Hospital of Abingdon, the charity founded in 1553. The current Master of Christ’s Hospital, Lt Col Andrew Douglass, said a few words to honour the occasion.

(Thanks to Iain for the report)

This group of Ash Trees on the other side of the River Thames look wonderful at the moment on their soft blanket of fallen leaves.

But no ash tree however big or small is safe. National new stories say that the Chalara fraxinea fungus, which causes leaf loss and crown dieback and leads to the death of ash trees, has spores borne on the wind and could soon blow our way. So I have started treasuring the ash trees while they are still with us. More ash tree pictures in the spring.

The Wellingtonia, or Giant Redwood, with the twin peaks in Albert Park is dead. There are other larger specimens still alive in the park and younger redwoods that may take their place in the next hundred years.

The oldest known Wellingtonia is 3500 years old, according to ring count, so this particular tree is not going to make it into the record books, however much it dwarves the other species of trees around about.

Its leaves have turned as red as its trunk, and many of the inhabitants have already left.

All that remains is a for the tree surgeons to bring it down to ground.