Sue’s trees in Berwick first of thousands for Bernicia estates

Talented artist and former school teacher Sue Handoll completed drawings and plans for a green area outside her Berwick home – to be planted with crab apple, cherry, pink and white flowering hawthorn, hazel, silver birch and rowan trees.

Bernicia manages the Newfields estate where Sue lives and stepped in to buy and plant the trees when they saw her masterplan after being contacted by her local ward county councillor, Catherine Seymour.

The 10 saplings should be in flower in early spring and are the first of 3,000 trees Bernicia aims to plant on estates it manages over the next three years.

Sue, whose own garden is stocked with a host of trees and flowers, said: “I had a vision in my mind’s eye for that piece of land.

“The trees I’ve picked are all flowering trees, except for the silver birch, and were deliberately picked as they won’t need pruning.

“I know they can all grow here because I’ve got them all growing in my garden.”

The North East housing association has an ambitious environmental strategy to enhance the level of biodiversity on its green spaces by planting trees and wildflower meadows and nurturing native, wildlife-friendly plants and shrubs.

Steven Adey, Bernicia Head of Housing, said: “We were only too happy to do this as we seek to work with partners to improve the quality of life for people living on our estates today and for generations to come.

“A significant part of this aim is to identify opportunities for enhancing and improving biodiversity on Bernicia land whilst improving the overall appearance of estates for residents to enjoy. This tree planting initiative thanks to Sue’s vision will help us to achieve this.”

Coun Seymour said: “I was very pleased to help facilitate Sue’s vision of more trees on this land as she is so enthusiastic about growing trees, plants and fruit in her garden.

“I thank Bernicia along with our green space officer Frances Povey at Northumberland County Council for supporting this project and for Bernicia’s commitment to plant much more on its estates in the North East.”