Chapter one
Introduction
These parks are in fact an Arboretum, a garden of trees, they come from throughout the world as well as locally and the stories and anecdotes I have listed reflects this international nature. There are also some fabulous shrubs and beds, but in the interest of my commission I have focused on the trees, with the last section having a list of all trees present in this park.
Chapter two
Apple
This park was a water meadow in 1971, with many of the current specimens predating this conversion, the large Crab Apple tree to your right with stunning blossom in spring, is a good example of this.
In the book of Genesis, the Serpent offered Eve the Apple, and from that point forth human kind changed irrevocably. The apple has become the symbol of forbidden knowledge, temptation and immorality, though the fruit itself is not actually specified in the book as an Apple. It is thought that the Apple came into the story through a Latin mistranslation as the word for evil is quite similar. Apple is spelled 'malum' with an accent over the letter 'a' whereas evil is the same but without the accent. Early religious paintings often depict Adam and Eve with an Apple but illustrations prior to this period generally have other fruits.
The Adam's Apple or the larynx, which is a throat protrusion, was apparently caused by this same forbidden fruit getting lodged in Adam's throat.
One old English apple tradition is to throw an apple pip into an open fire whilst saying your lover's name, if it pops then this will come true, if not then nothing will come of it. You may also like to read about Wassailing the apple tree, which is a very strange traditional custom still celebrated with gusto here in west Somerset.
In the book of Genesis, the Serpent offered Eve the Apple, and from that point forth human kind changed irrevocably. The apple has become the symbol of forbidden knowledge, temptation and immorality, though the fruit itself is not actually specified in the book as an Apple. It is thought that the Apple came into the story through a Latin mistranslation as the word for evil is quite similar. Apple is spelled 'malum' with an accent over the letter 'a' whereas evil is the same but without the accent. Early religious paintings often depict Adam and Eve with an Apple but illustrations prior to this period generally have other fruits.
The Adam's Apple or the larynx, which is a throat protrusion, was apparently caused by this same forbidden fruit getting lodged in Adam's throat.
One old English apple tradition is to throw an apple pip into an open fire whilst saying your lover's name, if it pops then this will come true, if not then nothing will come of it. You may also like to read about Wassailing the apple tree, which is a very strange traditional custom still celebrated with gusto here in west Somerset.
Directions - The hard path which runs through the park will trigger all the chapters in this park. Walk past the large Weeping Willow on your left to the next smaller tree, a Liquid Amber.