At the end of July we had a very special visitor who planted a tree to mark the occasion of the Wandlebury Country Park 70th birthday. Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire Julie Spence paid Wandlebury a visit and planted a Black Mulberry tree in our orchard. 

The story goes:

In the early 1600s King James 1 famously attempted to set up a British silk trade by importing mulberry trees to grow the silkworms on. He bought hundreds of trees and they were planted all round London but nobody told him that the silkworms prefer the white-fruited variety, so it never took off.

A Black Mulberry tree once stood on the lawn in front of the old house at Wandlebury, until, like the house, it had to be removed in the 50s. Upon counting the rings it was estimated to be 150 years old, so planted back in 1800.

In 1984, on the 30th anniversary of the charity’s ownership, a new Mulberry tree was planted in the park to commemorate that milestone and replace the one that was felled. However it turned out they in fact planted the white mulberry species King James 1st had meant to plant 400 years before!

For the 70th anniversary we have now reinstated a Black Mulberry in the orchard and hope it flourishes and bears fruit for just as long as the first.

Mulberry trees have fabulous jagged, lobed leaves and fruit that look like blackberries however they are much closer related to the fig. Unlike what the song says it’s not a bush, but you can go round it! 

Thanks very much to the warden team for this wonderful addition to the orchard at Wandlebury, and to warden Hannah for the fabulous idea to plant the black mulberry to mark our 70th anniversary (and for writing  up this great story). And to Julie Spence for the awesome spade work 🙂