The Story of Abney's Arboretum Survivors

The rare trees that science forgot

Marking Abney Park's 181st birthday, tree expert Russell Miller gave a tour of Abney Park's surviving remnants of the famous Loddiges arboretum. Abney Park had a greater collection of trees than Kew Gardens when it opened in 1840: it was planted with an amazing 2,500 species of trees and shrubs.The economics of cemetery management led to many removals over the next 180 years, but around 20 original Loddiges trees survive.

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Speaker biography: Russell Miller

Russell Miller is an arboricultural and ecological consultant specialising in old trees and invertebrates. He has studied trees and wildlife at Abney for 25 years where he has recorded hundreds of species of bees, beetles, butterflies and much else. Russell leads walks and talks on trees, ecology and nature connection as well as campaigning to save trees and wildlife. He acts as a biodiversity consultant to Hackney Council on the National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported renovation works at Abney Park.