National Conifer Week: Celebrating Leonardslee’s Living Pinetum
As National Conifer Week sweeps across England, it’s the perfect moment to wander beneath evergreen needles, admire rare specimens, and reflect on landscapes shaped by both horticulturalists and storms. Here at Leonardslee, our conifers are doing just that, thriving in beauty, variety, and resilience.
A Pinetum Born, Lost, and Reborn
Leonardslee has long been famed for its sweeping valley gardens, rhododendrons, and lush spring displays but conifers form a vital part of its story too. The original Pinetum, planted by Sir Edmund Loder between 1901 and 1905 in the area known as the Top Garden, was part of that early era of adventurous planting.
However, in the Great Storm of October 1987, much of that original pinetum was severely damaged where over 10,000 trees were lost. Leonardslee was not alone; across southern England, countless trees were lost, and many estates, woodlands and gardens had to reckon with what remained.
Rather than be defeated, Leonardslee embarked upon a renewal. Exactly 100 years after Sir Edmund’s original plantings, his great gandson, Robin Loder, established a new Pinetum in the Deer Park. A living tribute to what was lost and a celebration of what can be grown again.
What Makes the New Pinetum Special
Rare, Unusual and Exotic Specimens: The Pinetum in the Deer Park hosts dozens of conifers imported or bred to be unusual, exotic, and often rare. Conifers that stand out include Cryptomeria japonica ‘Sekkan Sugi’, with its bronze winter foliage; Thujopsis dolobrata ‘Variegata’, whose flattened, variegated needles offer multi-coloured interest; and the Black Spruce (Picea mariana), notable not only for its form but for its small purple cones.
Year-Round Interest: One of the great strengths of conifers is their evergreen nature. They hold our gardens together in winter when most deciduous trees have dropped their leaves. In December and beyond, cones, needle textures, colours and scent become more noticeable. Leonardslee’s new Pinetum is designed so visitors can enjoy these winter features, along with views across the Deer Park.
Views and Vistas Restored and Enhanced: After the great storm, not only were many trees lost, but vistas and light through the landscape opened up in ways nobody had expected. At Leonardslee, restoration efforts have included careful thinning, replanting, mapping and laying out paths so that people can enjoy both the trees themselves and the views over the valley and lakes.
Cryptomeria japonica ‘Sekkan Sugi’
Thujopsis dolobrata ‘Variegata’
Black Spruce (Picea mariana)
Conifers, Conservation, and Woodland Context
Conifer plantations and collections like Leonardslee’s Pinetum are not just ornamental, they are part of a broader ecological heritage. Some key points:
Coniferous plantations across the UK (and particularly non-native species introduced into plantations) have, over the last century, contributed to woodland cover, timber supply, and ecological niches.
But monocultures or uniform conifer stands can reduce biodiversity at ground level due to low light and heavy needle litter. The lessons from woodland management suggest greater benefit where there is variety with mixed ages, species, and open areas or rides.
Collections such as Leonardslee’s, with rare or exotic conifers, also help preserve genetic diversity, offer educational value, aesthetic interest, and contribute to climate resilience.
How to Explore the Pinetum This National Conifer Week
Here are few suggestions if you are visiting Leonardslee during National Conifer Week (or planning a trip soon):
Take the Ultimate Trail, on the map, that winds its way through the Pinetum. Look for the specimen conifers listed above, spot the deer grazing, and enjoy long views across the valley.
Visit the Top Garden to see remnants of the original Pinetum, including some forgotten conifers that survived the 1987 storm. The Top Garden has recently been reopened in phases, with restoration and planting continuing.
In winter, go with a focus on texture, cones, and foliage colour. Some conifers, like those with bronze or variegated needles, are at their best against winter light.
Learn from the plant labels. Leonardslee is progressively mapping, labelling and documenting the conifers in the Deer Park, which makes a walk both enjoyable and informative.
Looking Forward
National Conifer Week reminds us that gardens are works in progress. Not just because plants grow, but because landscapes and weather change. Leonardslee’s story shows that loss (like that from the Great Storm) can open space for new creation. The current Pinetum, planted a century after the first, shows imagination, ambition and care.
If you’re a gardener, a visitor, or simply someone who loves trees, consider how conifers enrich our lives: evergreen presence, year-round structure, rare forms, and living connections across continents.