A fully revised edition of London’s Street Trees was published in April 2020
(It’s bigger and even better!)
My first book, ‘London’s Street Trees: A Field Guide to the Urban Forest’ was published in 2017.
208 pages of street tree descriptions, anecdotes and history, and of course, hundreds of photos! It’s a journey through the urban forest: the astonishing multiplicity of trees lining the capital’s streets, from 19th-century Plane trees on the Embankment painted by Monet to Giant Redwoods in Edgware and a Magnolia in front of the Cheesegrater. You’ll learn why there are Australian Bottlebrush trees in a street in Pimlico, and where are the finest avenues of cherry trees in south London, and see the ‘world city’ of London in an entirely new way.
I’m thrilled too that Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has written the Foreword.
You can order from all the usual places (including Amazon) plus the Natural History Book Service if you prefer small enterprises. I have a few signed copies for sale too, use the button below to order (sorry, UK only).
If you would like to place a trade order, you’ll need to speak to the publisher, Safe Haven Books.
“For someone like me who’s not a natural naturalist, the book reveals a previously unconsidered world situated just outside the front door, or at most only a bus ride away.”
Ian Jack, The Guardian
My second book, London is a Forest was published in May 2019, and I have signed copies available too.
Oh, and the cover shot? London Planes on Kennington Road of course!
I just got this book. Excellent! I’m putting more trees into my road and this is the prefect guide (to a total novice).
Great to hear it may have a practical application – please do let me know what you plant!
What a great book! Tried to subscribe to the blog but it keeps telling me it’s an invalid email (even though I have a wordpress account and my email is valid!)
Thanks Leticia! I don’t know why WordPress says your email address is invalid, but I hope you will receive notifications of future posts.
What trees do you recommend for a street in Tooting? Criteria I’ve come up with so far: not too big or invasive, pollution resistant, attractive bark and foliage, acceptable to the Council
Thanks
Hi Rowena, there’s so many to choose from! Wild Service, Hornbeam and Field Maple would be good native choices, Clerodendron, Tetradium and Gymnocladus would be very interesting, more unusual species!
I live now in a carehome in Mile End, in lockdown. The great joy in my life is that my window looks across Eric Street at an unfamilar cherry tree, and l would love to know its species.
There are several very small dark cherries still in the branches, even after the lanceolate leaves have nearly all fallen. My daughter managed to bring me some fallen twigs yesterday, with the cherries still on them: there was a very thin layer of flesh around the stone, but with a distinct cherry taste!
Can anybody give me any idea of the variety of street cherry tree this is? I fear l may not live until next spring, to see it in flower ☹️
Cath
I’m afraid I have no idea, all the cherries I can think of will have lost their fruit by now, so I wonder if someone else reading this might have any ideas.