The most beautiful trees in and around Poole
(and where to see them)
Poole Park’s trees
Poole is home to an impressive variety of trees, from huge old oaks, beeches and maritime pines to vibrant ornamental species that brighten its parks and streets. Whether you’re wandering through Poole Park, driving to Gravel Hill, or traversing another area in Poole, the town’s most remarkable trees all have their own stories of resilience and beauty.
Poole Park is a much-loved public space where tree-lined paths frame the lakes, paths, and lawns. It is probably a cliché, but in autumn, much of the Park becomes like a painter’s palette, with many trees turning shades of red, amber, gold, and yellow.
The swamp cypress (aka bald cypress) trees put on an amazing display, going a fiery red/orange colour before dropping their needle-like leaves. The tree in the first photo below, standing all on its own near The Ark (previously known as Swan Lake Cafe), is a particularly nice example of a swamp cypress. During spring and summer this type of tree is green and pretty much blends into its surroundings.
Taxodium distichum ‘Nutans’, aka swamp cypress or bald cypress. This photo was taken early on an autumnal, sunny, and frosty morning, when the tree was looking particularly spectacular.
This huge, old oak is not far from the cricket pitch in Poole Park. In 2017, it was estimated to be between 250-300 years old. Photographed in April 2026.
Interestingly shaped blossom tree in Poole Park, photographed in April 2026. I believed this may be a crab apple (Malus floribunda).
Giant redwood tree (Sequoiadendron gigantea) in Poole Park.
A huge Monterey pine (Pinus radiata) in Poole Park.
A weeping elm tree at Copse Close, Poole Park.Photographed in April 2026.
Beautiful autumn colours of bald cypress trees alongside the miniature railway track in Poole Park.
Autumn colours of young oak trees in the early morning sunshine, by the boating lake in Poole Park.
The yellow leaves of the ginkgo (ginkgo biloba) tree during a Poole Park autumn.
Another such tree in Poole Park is the ginkgo biloba tree, which grows alongside the public lavatories at the western end of the Park. In the autumn, this usually rather insignificant tree’s leaves turn bright yellow, before quickly falling to the ground.
A perfectly shaped oak tree in winter mist at Poole Park. Photographed in 2024.
Poole Park’s famous Corsican pine ‘leaning tree’ photographed just after dawn in 2023.
Poole Park’s ‘leaning tree’ on a beautiful moonlit night.
Trees around Poole
Some trees are unremarkable, going almost unnoticed until they suddenly reveal a fleeting flash of beauty, mostly in the spring or autumn. One such example is at Derby’s Corner Roundabout (bottom of Gravel Hill), where a surprising show of colour appears in springtime. This is via an old, twisted, flowering cherry tree, on the Fleetsbridge side of the roundabout, not far from the vets’ practice.
For a couple of weeks in the spring, this usually unremarkable tree produces clouds of delicate pink flowers, and behind it, large rhododendrons add a splash of vivid colour (see photo).
It’s surprises like this that are a reminder that even in the busiest areas in and around Poole, brief moments of natural beauty appear where you least expect them.
An old, flowering cherry tree and rhododendrons on Derby’s Corner Roundabout, at the foot of Gravel Hill, during springtime 2024.
Ancient strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) in Parkstone Cemetery, Poole. Photographed in 2025.
Gorgeous autumnal colours in 2025 of the pendant-like leaves of this flowering cherry tree, in Links Road, Poole.
I’ll be adding more examples of Poole’s most remarkable trees as and when I spot them, so keep watching this space!
