Westonbirt Arboretum

Westonbirt Arboretum

Also known as Westonbirt National Arboretum, Westonbirt Arboretum is managed by the Forestry Commission and located near the historic market town of Tetbury in Gloucestershire, England. It is one of the most important and well-known arboreta in the UK.

The arboretum emerged in the mid-19th century during the height of the Victorian planting craze and is now one of the finest garden areas in the world, renowned for its autumn colours. It is also a Grade I registered historic landscape in the UK. The arboretum consists of more than 18,000 trees and shrubs, covering an area of 600 acres. Its 27-kilometre network of paths is popular with visitors, offering delightful surprises with its diverse collection of rare trees. There are two key areas within the arboretum that are particularly worth seeing: the Old Arboretum, a carefully designed landscape featuring rare trees from around the globe, some dating back to the 1850s; and the Silk Wood area, which, although home to many exotic trees, centres around a traditional working woodland that dates back to the 13th century.

Every tree in Westonbirt Arboretum is labelled, either on the trunk or on a lower branch. Blue labels indicate Westonbirt’s “Champion Trees”—either the largest or the tallest examples of their species in the UK. As of 2011, there were 79 Champion Trees in the arboretum.

Westonbirt Arboretum

Must-visit reason: One of the most beautiful arboreta in the UK during autumn

Continent where the attraction is located: Europe【Europe】

Country/region where the attraction is located: Britain[Britain]

Province/state where the attraction is located: Gloucestershire [Gloucestershire]