The Wellingtonia Grove in Wollaton Park stands as one of the largest and oldest Redwood groves in the UK.
The grove, situated at the top of the Cambridge Road, was planted in 1868, a date confirmed by the presence of a marker stone.
This planting is speculated to have been a direct reaction to a major natural disaster. Historic records indicate that a devastating hurricane in 1863 destroyed approximately 150 trees within the park. The establishment of the Wellingtonia Grove soon after would have served as an important effort to restore the park’s woodland.
The species itself, now correctly termed the Sequoiadendron giganteum or Giant Redwood, was first introduced to the UK by botanist John Lindley in 1853. Lindley initially named the tree Wellingtonia gigantea as a tribute to the Duke of Wellington, who had recently passed away. However, this name was later deemed botanically incorrect, leading to the adoption of the Sequoiadendron giganteum classification.