Dame Judi Dench and Northumberland pupil put Sycamore Gap seedling on show at Chelsea

Dame Judi Dench was joined by competition winner, seven-year-old Charlotte Crowe, from Henshaw C.E Primary School near Hexham, to place the precious seedling in the National Trust’s wildlife garden on Monday (May 20) prior to the show’s public opening.

Charlotte won the opportunity to join Dame Judi in the trust’s Show Garden through a competition at her school, which is the closest to Sycamore Gap, where pupils had to draw a pictures and write a short poem about what the tree meant to them.

Charlotte’s winning entry talks about the ‘mindful, famous, historical, magnificent tree’.

Charlotte said: "I am so happy that scientists are trying to grow the tree back as it means a lot to our school. I was so surprised that I had won the competition and am excited to go to London because I have never been before."

Henshaw C.E Primary School’s executive head teacher, Michael Glenton, added: “The children and staff of Henshaw Primary School are thrilled to be working with the National Trust to remember this iconic landmark and continue to celebrate its importance to our local community. The tree is the logo for our two federated schools (together with Greenhead Primary), and we will continue to ensure this important symbol of our community endures.”

The seedling is part of a propagated collection at the conservation charity’s Plant Conservation Centre in Devon and the first to be shown to the public. It will return to the Plant Conservation Centre after the show and be quarantined, before re-joining the others to continue to grow.

The National Trust, with Northumberland National Park, Historic England and the Hadrian's Wall Partnership, are planning a range of responses to the tree’s felling, including work with local schools, tree planting initiatives and artistic interpretations.

Andrew Poad, the National Trust’s general manager for Hadrian's Wall said: “The response to the tree’s felling has been extraordinary and demonstrates how the tree was special to many, many people, including Charlotte and Dame Judi.”

The addition of a Sycamore Gap seedling to the Octavia Hill Garden is representative of the many stories illustrated throughout the garden rooms showcasing the diverse work of the National Trust, indicative of the incredible legacy of the trust’s founder – Octavia Hill.

Andrew Jasper, director of gardens and parklands at the National Trust, added: “The huge outpouring of emotion after the tree was felled showed that our deep-rooted feelings of connection to our natural heritage are as powerful today as they were in Octavia Hill’s lifetime.

"We hope that those who visit the garden at Chelsea this week will feel that beneficial connection to the natural heritage that we care for and also take inspiration from seeing the seedling - when we first saw the seedlings germinate, we knew there was hope for the tree’s future.”

The Sycamore Gap seedling can be seen in The Octavia Hill Garden at the 2024 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, from May 21 to 25. For more information visit the National Trust website.