Wiltshire Council have come under fire for ‘butchering’ a large tree in Victoria Garden, a public garden in the centre of Westbury next to the town library.
Local town councillor, Mark Bailey, says that Wiltshire Council was supposed to trim the willow tree but instead left ‘little more than a stump’ which has ‘ruined the feel and look of the garden’. The council has apologised saying, “more wood was removed from the tree than envisaged’ and have promised to plant a replacement tree.
“A group of volunteers run the gardens, but Wiltshire Council ‘manage’ the gardens and recently engaged a contractor to pollard a willow tree,” explained cllr Bailey.
“This large willow had provided screening of the garden from a large new build property. Instead of pollarding, the contractor has butchered the tree, leaving little more than a stump and ruining the feel and look of the garden.
“This brutal work on the willow tree should never have been allowed to happen and has caused much upset to users of the garden and the volunteers, who work so hard to maintain it.
“However, I am pleased to hear that Wiltshire Council are taking some responsibility for this, and look forward to seeing the effects of this proposed planting later in the year. I hope that this will be part of ongoing works that have been promised by Wiltshire Council to install fencing to replace the ugly plastic barrier currently keeping the public away from the wall near the willow, and to repair the footpath leading into the garden.”
Cllr Nick Holder, cabinet member for street scene at Wiltshire Council, said, “We were advised by structural engineers that the willow tree needed to be reduced and kept to a manageable size because of the proximity to the wall, which had shown signs of movement. Unfortunately, more wood was removed from the tree than envisaged. During the next planting season, we intend to plant a replacement species that is more suitable for this location. We apologise for the concern this has caused.”
Tony Silman, chair of Friends of Victoria Garden said, “The volunteers who work hard to keep Victoria Garden the beautiful, restful retreat for the local community, are understandably disappointed to see some of that beauty chopped away in an overzealous pollarding operation.
“We all hope that the brutally lopped stumps of what were fine willows will eventually grow back to their full beauty and, until then, we shall continue to make the garden a delightful location for everyone to enjoy and also for our special events such as The Great Victoria Garden Cream Tea Party, which will be held on Saturday 22nd June.”
“We are sure that the council will now redouble its efforts to install willow fencing and repair the wall and footpath; these are projects that have been promised and are yet to be completed.”
Victoria Garden is in the care of the Friends of Victoria Garden community group and is open to the public during the day in the summer, providing a peaceful retreat in the centre of town.
It has an interesting history. It was formerly the millpond for the adjacent town mill, which burned down in 1861. No longer needed to power the mill machinery, it was drained and landscaped thanks to town benefactor, William Laverton, who bequeathed it to the people of Westbury to mark Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1897.
Since then, it has been tennis courts, a private garden, allotments and eventually a derelict site, finally restored in the 1990s as a public garden. It now belongs to Wiltshire Council but is in the care of the Friends of Victoria Garden, who hold regular working parties to keep the garden looking its best.
