Royal celebrations are always loaded with symbolism, so the National Civic Tree Planting Day, marking the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, took place on Friday the 11th March: the 70th day of the 70th year of her reign. The London Borough of Harrow joined-in, planting a tree in our own Harrow Rec, with a host of civic dignitaries present.

    In the picture shown here the planting is being orchestrated by Tony Donetti (Infrastructure Manager – Harrow Council – he’s the one with the spade) and those dignitaries are, from left to right: Councillor Ramji Chauhan; Councillor Anjana Patel; Councillor Graham Henson (Leader of the Council); Councillor Krishna Suresh; Councillor Sasi Suresh (The Deputy Mayor); The Royal Tree herself;  Simon Ovens (Deputy Lieutenant for Harrow); Keith Toms (Honorary Alderman); Councillor Varsha Parmar.

    The new tree is an oak, and you can find it in the avenue of trees near to the SEVA café and the bowling green.  It has been registered as part of the “Queen’s Green Canopy” project, which invites people from across the United Kingdom to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”.  The project also plans to dedicate a network of 70 Ancient Woodlands across the United Kingdom, and identify 70 Ancient Trees – there’s that symbolism again!