Caught this one on a trip to the Leeds University Open Day for my eldest daughter. It was a surprising find as the buildings are all so beautifully maintained:
Leeds University Tree
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Withy Grove Stores, Manchester.
I remember visiting these stores some time in the late 80s to buy a small safe for the office of the bank where I worked. They seemed old fashioned and dusty even back then.
Besides the pleasingly verdant and extensive moss growth, there is a small tree clinging onto the side of this wonderful example of architecture.
The history of the area (in an urban context) dates back to around the mid 16th century – read more here.
Close up of the tree:
Lovely example on a mill by the canal near Todmorden
This mill is an excellent example of those built in the late Nineteenth Century. It’s inhabited by kids and drunks (quite often both the same unfortunately), but home to a lovely example of a nearly tree.
Close up of the tree:
There is a little more information here:
Tree growing from a place of ancient business
Excuse the dodgy image quality – it was taken when I was stuck in a queue and I had to crop quite a bit. You can see the tree growing from the chimney – very similar to the residential building tree from a few weeks ago, but this is most definitely a place of work 🙂
Last lot of pictures of Hartford Mill
More pictures of Abandoned Mill, Oldham
There was an embarrasment of riches at the mill, both for my daughter’s photography project and my far more important site about treesonbuildings…
Abandoned Mill, Oldham
I spotted this from a tram on my way in to Manchester. My eldest daughter had to do a photography project a few weeks later, so I suggested this place.
It’s an awesome and very large abandoned mill near to the centre of Oldham.
There were pigeons flying about and loud water dripping type noises, so it was pretty creepy. There are lots more shots I will upload later, but I was keen to share this find with you trees fans!
Shudehill Tram Stop, Manchester
Shudehill is a great area for these trees/bushes. I did look up what sort they were but I’ve forgotten now.
This is a clothing warehouse I think. There are signs further down saying “This Window Has a Registered Right To Light Which Will Be Rigorously Enforced”. One of the windows with a sign has been bricked up, which I think is ironic.
Victoria Train Station
This building used to be a post office just next to Victoria Rail Station in Manchester. There are a few in this block that have slowly decayed over the last 10 years or so. I liked the barbed wire.
Smithfield Market, London
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, I bring a whole new level of credibility to the proceedings: A tree in London.
There were a few on top of this building – which is one end of Smithfield Market in London.
You will notice that most of the pictures are more likely to be of shrubs than trees. Looking at the definition of a tree:
“woody plant having one erect perennial stem (trunk) at least three inches in diameter at a point 4-1/2 feet above the ground, a definitely formed crown of foliage, and a mature height of at least 13 feet.”
It seems unlikely we will see many genuine examples, but you never know.
As such, I think a sturdy shrub or sapling is just as acceptable – but something like a Himalayan Balsam doesn’t count. Having said that, if it’s on a nice building then it doesn’t really matter.