WESTONBIRT'S FESTIVAL OF THE TREE

Westonbirt's annual summer wood craft event - Sculptree and the Festival of Wood - have been re-launched for 2006 under the single title 'Festival of the Tree'.

This successful annual event has grown over the past 12 years into a week-long celebration of wood craft, with the internationally renowned Sculptree giant wood-carving event at its centre. Last year it attracted more than 30,000 people and international media interest.

The Festival of the Tree will open with Sculptree, on Monday 21st August 2006 at 10am. Exhibi-tree, the new name for the Festival of Wood craft event, will run each day from 25-28th August. The grand finale of the Festival will be at 3pm on Bank Holiday Monday (28th August), when the Sculptree sculptures will be auctioned on site. [For exhibition and sculpture opportunities contact Rachael Miller on 01666 881201.]

Westonbirt is the National Arboretum, renowned worldwide for its tree and shrub collection, contains some 18,000 specimens, including almost half of those woody plants known to grow in the world’s temperate climate zone, and covers 600 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. English Heritage’s Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historical Interest list it as a Grade 1 Listed Landscape.

Established in 1829 by Robert Holford, it was later developed by his son, George. Much of Westonbirt’s renowned autumn colour can be traced back to Sir George’s plantings of Japanese maples between 1850 and 1875, some of which are still alive today. Westnbirt is now home to the National Maple (Acer) Collection, with 180 different types in the collection.

The Forestry Commission opened Westonbirt Arboretum to the public in 1961, so 2006 represents the 50th anniversary of its management.

Westonbirt Arboretum is three miles south west of Tetbury on the A433 (Tetbury to Bath Road). It is 10 miles north-east of Junction 18 of the M4 and south-east of junction 13 of the M5. It is open all year between 10am and 8pm, or dusk if earlier. The normal cost of admission for adults is £6.50, children £1, concessions £5.50. See: www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt or call the Arboretum on 01666 880220.