Boughton Estate has commenced work to
recreate one of England’s finest avenues
of trees - the Broad Walk Lime Tree Avenue at
Boughton House.

The historic avenue, which lies to the
west of the House and Broad Water Lake,
was originally planted around 1705 with a
combination of English elm and ‘Hatfield Tall’
Lime trees. Hatfield Tall Limes are a distinct
type of lime tree commonly used in 17th and
18th century planned gardens.

Many of the elms were lost in the 1920s and
1970s during outbreaks of Dutch Elm Disease,
whilst only one original lime tree remains.
Now, working in conjunction with Natural
England, Boughton Estate plans to replant the
avenue with Hatfield Tall Limes.

At present, the avenue comprises two original
elm trees and one lime, whilst the rest are
hybrid poplars and small-leaf lime trees, so
the first step will be to remove around two
dozen poplars and take out their stumps in
readiness for planting with Hatfield Tall Limes
at the beginning of 2017. The existing smallleaved
limes will be retained for a few years to
reduce any visual impact, before they too are
replaced with original limes.

The ambitious proposals are part of a ten
year management plan agreed with Natural
England in 2012.

The growing of the replacement Hatfield Tall
Limes began back in 2008, using clones
from the original lime tree, and the replanting
will continue right through to 2024. This
programme involves removing a number
of mature trees; however, these are largely
fast-growing poplars which have a limited lifespan.
Boughton House is registered Grade I
on English Heritage’s Register of Parks and
Gardens of Special Historical Interest. The
restoration of the parkland to its 17th century
formal landscape was commenced in 2004
and since this time a number of important
features have been completed, including:

• De-silting and restoration of the Great
Court Canal
• Formalising the edges of the Broad Water
Canal and adjoining sections
• Restoration of the Mound
• Creation of Orpheus
• Creation of a lime tree nursery
• The restoration of the Grand Etang Lake