Michael Peverett: The Trees of Frome

Saturday, May 09, 2026

The Trees of Frome

When I first moved to Frome in 1991 my partner of the time said I should write a booklet called The Trees of Frome. In those pre-internet days that meant jotting down notes in a notebook, but I didn't get very far. I suppose I was always going on about trees, but I didn't have the required expertise then, and I still don't, though I've written about a few Frome trees over the years, particularly cherry trees.

Anyway this post lists a few trees that would certainly need to feature in any hypothetical Trees of Frome. I've been looking at them for many years but as you'll see I still can't necessarily name them!

Huntingdon Elm, maybe. Frome, 7 May 2026.

Halfway along Spring Road, easy to overlook but locally well-known, this splendid mature elm in a private garden.

Why it acts as if Dutch Elm disease never happened, I have no idea.

The only elms I really know are English Elm and Wych Elm. This one is neither (the leaves are pretty smooth). A recent consultation with the Facebook tree group emphasized the formidable complexity of Ulmus but it's not unlikely to be a Huntingdon Elm (Ulmus x hollandica 'Vegeta'), much planted in parks and gardens in the 1930s.

There are other mature elms in the Frome area. There were at least two Wych Elms in the grounds of Marston House when I worked there 20 years ago, and there probably still are (it's now a private residence). Beside a Beckington layby there's a line of three healthy elms around which a copse has subsequently grown up: they are Field Elms at least in part, but I can't pin them down to a known variety.

London Plane. Frome, 7 May 2026.

There's something inappropriate about London Planes being anywhere other than a city. Still, Frome has this one, behind Ellenbray close to the footbridge, and the massive bole, split into three or four, gets noticed by everyone. Like most London Planes it gives the impression of intending to live forever.

Lime tree. Frome, 9 May 2026.

This lime tree, at Hillclose Farm, Spring Gardens, was already huge in 1991 and it's even bigger now. Like a mountain, you need to be quite a long way off to see where the true summit is. .

It seems to be a Common Lime that looks very much like a Small-leaved Lime, if I can put it that way. For example the flower-bracts stick out in all directions, the leaves are small and matte. (But: impressed tertiary veins, off-white tufts on underside, strictly 6 flowers per bunch.)

Below, a view inside the canopy.

Lime tree. Frome, 9 May 2026.

Poplar tree. Frome, 7 May 2026.

Another mighty tree. This is the most impressive of several impressive poplars along the river. They are American hybrid poplars, but that's as far as my knowledge goes. This one's at Welshmill, just below the weir. It's across the river from the play-park, so parents and grandparents get plenty of time to look at it.

Caucasian Wingnut (Pterocarya fraxinifolia). Frome, 20 May 2026.

If you walk around the perimeter of the Cattle Market car park, you'll be momentarily plunged into an exotic jungle, created by three wingnut trees. To the best of my knowledge (basically, none) these trees are Caucasian Wingnut (Pterocarya fraxinifolia) -- Other wingnuts are available!

Below, a shot of the ash-like foliage, the striking long female catkins and the shorter male ones.

Caucasian Wingnut (Pterocarya fraxinifolia). Frome, 20 May 2026.

Ash (Fraxinus excelsior). Frome, 10 May 2026.

The magnificent ash tree in the car-park at Frome College.

Most of the isolated trees in town seem unaffected by ash die-back, in contrast to the devastated ash-woods on the Mendips.

Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus). Frome, 7 May 2026.

Every tree has its moment. This is a common-or-garden sycamore by the river, by no means an outstanding tree, but as I was taking photos for this post I was suddenly struck by the fabulous sight of all those hanging flowers at this time of year. So it snuck in.

A puzzle. Driving from Beckington towards Frome, as you come down the hill on the by-pass, you see what appears to be a line of seven or eight Lombardy poplars on the horizon. I notice them every day, and after thirty years I still can't figure out where they are!

The view towards Longleat and Stourhead. Frome, 10 May 2026.

Enjoy this view from the SE edge of Frome, looking over the valley to the greensand ridge of Longleat and Stourhead. Soon there are going to be 1,700 houses going up on these fields. There was strong local opposition to the plan ("Selwood Garden Community", it was called), the town council rejected it and Somerset Council were wavering when the decision was called in by central government, and now the planning inspector has done his job.

'Taoyame' and a list of Frome's cherry trees:

https://michaelpeverett.blogspot.com/2019/04/that-cherry-tree-in-frome.html

'Kursar':

https://michaelpeverett.blogspot.com/2024/02/february-cherry.html

'Ichiyo':

https://michaelpeverett.blogspot.com/2019/04/prunus-ichiyo.html

'Umineko':

https://michaelpeverett.blogspot.com/2021/04/prunus-umineko.html

Norway Maple (Acer platanoides):

https://michaelpeverett.blogspot.com/2021/10/norway-maple.html

Downy Birch (Betula pubescens):

https://michaelpeverett.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-down-on-birch.html