Gardens to visit 


(18 in total) and the country £2billion to put right. A massive 15 million trees were lost in


the storm — the worst since 1703 — and for the National Trust, with its 3,000 acres, 350,000 trees were uprooted, 35,000 among the oldest and most rare in the country. “It was a battle zone” remembers Alan Comb, who started work a week after the storm at the 100-year-old Emmetts Garden, near Sevenoaks. “The garden lost 95% of its woodland. Trees were left sticking up like totem poles.”


WOODLAND DISASTER It was a story echoed across Kent. At Toys Hill, Brasted — the highest point in the county — the former home of National Trust founder Octavia Hill lost 98% of its trees, with fallen timber piled 40ft high. At Chartwell, Westerham,


Emmetts Garden, 1987: Alan, aged 21, clearing the debris. “For the first few weeks we had two foresters with chainsaws clearing the drive at Emmetts all day long.” – and 2017: In the same spot.


1987: Scotney


Castle was a scene of


devastation, with trees narrowly


missing the house.


beech, apple and almost every upright tree on the hill behind the house were lost. At Scotney Castle 500-year-old sweet chestnuts were toppled, some narrowly missing the house and at Bedgebury National Pinetum, almost a quarter of the trees were gone. Tom Hill, the National Trust’s woodland


officer, recalls: “It’s hard to comprehend the scale of the damage and the scene of chaos local communities woke up to.”


WINDS OF CHANGE The scale of the disaster did, change the way we think, with many lessons to be learned. A public inquiry was announced; an internal inquiry by the Met Office; and government funding for a Severe Weather Warnings service. And for the National Trust it provided an opportunity to rethink the way it works. Tom Hill, said: “In the time since the


IMPROVING FORECASTS


Since the storm there have been significant increases in the capability of computer forecasting and satellite use, which now make a 65% contribution to weather predictions.


An internal Met Office inquiry also led to greater observational coverage of the atmosphere by air and over the sea to the south and west of the UK.


Images © National Trust - Bottom right - Trees were physically uprooted at Chartwell Mid Kent Living 29


storm, we’ve witnessed the natural response to this kind of phenomenon in the way that nature has healed and restored itself. Now we work more closely with natural ecological processes and, where possible, allow damaged woodland to regenerate naturally. It’s vital that we continue to evolve our approach to woodland management to help it thrive.”


FUTURE PROOFING At Toys Hill, some areas were replanted and others left, a practice that showed self-seeded trees develop faster. Light permeating through canopies also awoke dormant seeds, which burst into life, including native clematis, honeysuckle and heather. At Chartwell, 30 years on, the surviving trees still rise defiantly above newly planted stock. At Emmetts Garden, Ide Hill, 1,200 cuttings were


REMEMBERING THE STORM, SCOTNEY CASTLE


New garden displays will compare the extensive damage with today’s views.


Throughout October, 10am to 5pm. Free event, normal admission applies.


donated to the National Trust’s Plant Conservation Centre and a handkerchief tree, winched upright, can still be seen in situ. Gardener Alan Comb said: “It means that should we lose a plant at Emmetts we’ll always have the original.” At Toys Hill the loss of hundreds of beech trees made way for birch to “bloom”. There is also a non-intervention zone — left untouched for 30 years — which is now surveyed by Natural England.


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