logo
See the Glasgow tree shortlisted for UK Tree of the Year

See the Glasgow tree shortlisted for UK Tree of the Year

The National10-07-2025
Known as the Argyle Street Ash, the Glasgow tree was nominated by local resident David Treanor, who noted its description in James Cowan's 1935 book From Glasgow's Treasure Chest as "quite the most graceful ash I have seen".
This year's competition theme, 'Rooted in Culture,' seeks to spotlight trees that have inspired artistic expression or have become embedded in local heritage. A total of 10 trees from across the UK have been shortlisted.
READ MORE: Scotland's volcanic landscape mystery solved by scientists with 'extraordinary' find
Voting for the award opens on Friday, July 11, with the winner to be announced on September 26. The chosen tree will go on to represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year contest.
Other contenders include a cedar tree in Chiswick famously climbed by The Beatles in a 1966 music video, a yew grove in Cumbria celebrated in a poem by William Wordsworth, and the Tree of Peace and Unity in County Antrim, a lime formed from two trees which became symbolic during the Good Friday Agreement.
Also among the finalists are the King of Limbs oak in Wiltshire, which inspired the title of a Radiohead album, the so-called Lollipop Tree featured in the final scene of 1917, and the Knole Park Oak in Kent, thought to be the tallest in Britain and linked to Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando.
Dame Judi Dench, patron of the Woodland Trust, has encouraged public participation in the vote.
'Our oldest trees hold more stories than Shakespeare,' she said.
READ MORE: Historic Scottish hotel to be transformed following major hotelier purchase
'They are as much a part of our heritage as any literature. I hope you will join me in voting.'
The competition, supported by the People's Postcode Lottery, aims to raise awareness of the importance of ancient, rare, and culturally significant trees.
Laura Chow, head of charities at the lottery, said the shortlisted trees have 'witnessed key moments in history' and continue to inspire reflection and creativity.
Public voting remains open until September 19 via the Woodland Trust's website.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Tree of the Year: Scottish sycamore and ash make top ten shortlist
Tree of the Year: Scottish sycamore and ash make top ten shortlist

STV News

time4 days ago

  • STV News

Tree of the Year: Scottish sycamore and ash make top ten shortlist

Two Scottish trees have been shortlisted for the coveted UK Tree of the Year competition. The Woodland Trust announced the shortlist of ten of the UK's best trees on Monday, including not one, but two in Scotland. Edinburgh's famous Wilfred Owen Sycamore, which is over 100 years old, made the shortlist. The tree, which sits at the entrance of Edinburgh Napier University, has a rich history connected to famed war poet Wilfred Owen. The site where the tree is planted was formerly a military psychiatric hospital, known as Craiglockhart War Hospital, and in 1917, Owen was sent here, having suffered shell-shock on the Western Front. Allan Shedlock/Woodland Trust Violinist and actor Thoren Ferguson using the violin made from the Wilfred Owen Sycamore tree in Edinburgh. He met Siegfried Sassoon at the hospital, who became his literary mentor and encouraged him to write. The Woodland Trust said the pair may have sat beneath this sycamore in the hospital grounds during their rehabilitation. When a large branch of the tree was removed for safety reasons in 2014, local instrument maker Steve Burnett crafted a violin from the wood to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the war's outbreak and honour Owen's memory. The violin has one of Owen's poems inscribed inside it and has been played at many concerts and events. Also included in the list is Glasgow's over 175-year-old ash tree on Argyle Street. Tree Wise Urban Forestry/Woodland Trust The lone Argyle Street Ash is a much-loved local landmark. The tree, also known locally as The Lone Tree of Finnieston or The Only Tree on Argyle Street, stands alongside the tenements on one of the city's busiest streets. In recognition of its cultural and ecological value to the city, the tree was the first in Glasgow to be protected by a tree preservation order. In his 1935 book, From Glasgow's Treasure Chest, James Cowan records it as 'a very tall ash tree, its highest branches reaching far above the top windows of the tenement. It is quite the most graceful ash I have seen.' Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch is among the tree's more modern admirers: 'It must have good genes to have made it. It's hip now because it's in Finnieston, but I say it was always cool.' Scottish trees have proven popular in the competition, with the Skipinnish Oak of Lochaber in Scotland winning UK Tree of the Year in 2024. Voting is open now and closes on September 19, with the winning tree announced on September 26. The winner will go on to represent the UK in the next European Tree of the Year competition. The Borrowdale Yews, Seathwaite, Cumbria King of Limbs, Savernake Forest, Wiltshire Wilfred Owen Sycamore, Edinburgh Tree of Peace and Unity, Dunadry Hotel, Antrim Lollipop Tree, Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire The Beatles' cedar tree, Chiswick House and Gardens Knole Park oak, Knole Park, Kent Bradgate Park's oldest oak, Leicester Lonely Tree, Llyn Padarn, Llanberis Argyle Street ash, Glasgow Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country

Tell us about your tree of the year
Tell us about your tree of the year

The Guardian

time7 days ago

  • The Guardian

Tell us about your tree of the year

The Woodland Trust has announced its 10 nominees for the UK tree of the year. The shortlist includes The Knole Park Oak in Kent – believed to have inspired an epic poem in Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando – and a cedar tree climbed by the Beatles in Chiswick, west London. Now we would like to hear about the tree that means the most to you and why. You can share your reasons – and pictures – below. You can share your own tree of the year using this form. Please include as much detail as possible. Please note, the maximum file size is 5.7 MB. Please note, the maximum file size is 5.7 MB. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. If you include other people's names please ask them first. If you're having trouble using the form click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here.

24 years ago South Park crossed a line and was never the same again
24 years ago South Park crossed a line and was never the same again

Metro

time7 days ago

  • Metro

24 years ago South Park crossed a line and was never the same again

It was 24 years ago tonight that American comedy series South Park aired one of the most shocking and controversial TV episodes of all time. The Trey Parker and Matt Stone series, which started in August 1997 and is still running to this day, has always been known for pushing buttons and causing a stir. Its very first episode featured lead character Eric Cartman having to deny that he was abducted by aliens and probed in a very personal place on his body – and it only got more risqué from there. But despite all the hilarious and x-rated antics in South Park over the years, arguably no episode of the show has ever topped Scott Tenorman Must Die for combining side-splitting laughter and 'unfathomable sadness'. Scott Tenorman Must Die was originally broadcast on July 11, 2001, arriving as the fourth episode of South Park's fifth season – at a point when the show was already notorious. In the episode, Eric falsely believes he's the first among his friends to reach puberty after purchasing pubic hair from local high schooler Scott Tenorman – all for the price of $10 (£7.50). When Eric finds out about the practical joke, he vows revenge on Scott but has his initial schemes outsmarted by the older boy on several occasions. Things come to a head when Eric discovers that Scott's favourite band is Radiohead and invites them to South Park to visit, falsely claiming that Scott has cancer. Radiohead's arrival coincides with a chilli cook-off that Eric and Scott both enter – Scott, in a bid to humiliate Eric again, secretly fills his chilli recipe with pubic hair. But in one of the darkest twists in TV history, unbeknownst to Scott, Eric has secretly had both of Scott's parents killed, dismembered, and ground up into Scott's chilli. Eric informs Scott of this after a few mouthfuls and then literally licks the tears off his cheeks as he cries over his dead parents, with Radiohead witnessing the entire horrific ordeal. The episode has been cited as being among the best in South Park history by several TV critics over the years, with some heralding it as one of the greatest and darkest comedy storylines of all time. In a 2000s interview, Trey Parker said of the episode: 'It was a big milestone in South Park, only because it was the first time we realized, maybe we're trying to do too much in episodes. 'It turned out so good that from then on we started saying, 'Let's forget B stories, let's forget C stories, let's just do a really well told A story'.' Speaking about the episode to Pitchfork in 2010, Matt Stone called it 'one of the most notorious episodes' of the series and admitted that he still couldn't believe he managed to get Radiohead to guest star. 'I don't think [we told them about the chilli storyline]. I don't think we'd come up with that yet. We didn't tell them, we told them everything. We just weren't done with the episode. Many South Park fans also see the episode as a turning point for Eric's character, with the evil 10-year-old only adding to his list of despicable crimes down the years. More Trending In later episodes, Eric knowingly infects Kyle with HIV, kidnaps his friend Butters and leaves him in an underground bunker, fakes his way into the Special Olympics, and pretends to have Tourette's syndrome. On IMDb, Scott Tenorman Must Die is the best-rated episode of South Park across 27 seasons, with an average user score of 9.6 out of 10, based on more than 11,500 ratings. When the episode went out, Matt called up the members of Radiohead to see what they thought: 'I talked to them afterwards. They liked it.' Watch South Park on Apple TV and Paramount Plus. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: 'Wildly entertaining' sci-fi series with 97% Rotten Tomatoes score gets second season MORE: Ryan Reynolds' forgotten 90s TV series finally streaming in the UK MORE: Netflix renew drama watched for 331,000,000 hours – I can't understand why

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store