Warden's delight at tree's apt name

By khelyer

NATIONAL Trust warden and Lynton town councillor Julian Gurney was delighted to hear the Journal was highlighting the No Parking Tree.

He said: "They are certainly among my favourites.

"From quite a distance away, across the valley, you can see the underside of the leaves glinting, or 'beaming', as they move gently in the breeze, hence the name Whitebeam, I guess. This is one of the things I look forward to seeing each spring.

He said although no one knew it was a new species, the tree was actually discovered before he began working at Watersmeet some 15 years ago.

"Though 'discover' is a bit misleading, as it has been in full view of everybody driving the Watersmeet road for many years," he said.

"I feel privileged to have so many 'rare' and wonderful trees under my stewardship and we are planning work, in consultation with Natural England, to make sure they are appropriately managed and protected.

"Having said that, Whitebeams in general do seem to have managed quite well since the last Ice Age without too much interference from me!"

And he added: "The great thing about the name Sorbus No-Parking is, in my view, that someone clever enough to discover a new tree is also pragmatic enough to name it after a nearby sign.

"I can just imagine the thought process they used to get there!

"I suppose it could equally have been called Sorbus 'Please do not pick wild flowers' or Sorbus 'caution speed bumps!'