Kingston Council asking residents to vote on which trees they think should replace Tolworth’s recently felled 50-year-old weeping willow.
Locals have been asked to cast their vote to decide on a new cluster of trees in Tolworth.
The new trees are set to replace a 50-year-old weeping willow at the junction of Long Ditton and Ellerton Road, which was felled earlier this month due to safety concerns.
Residents can vote via an online council survey for one of three options: three English oaks, three large-leaved lime trees, or a mixture of the two.
The landmark willow tree had fallen victim to the necrotrophic parasite known as honey fungus.
During the weekend before the tree’s removal, community members gathered at its base for a farewell picnic, celebrating what event organiser and local Robin Hutchinson described as “a tree of memories.”
Will, who has lived in the borough for almost 20 years, said the willow’s removal “was a shame, but felt necessary”. He said he would vote for the English Oak option since “someone had told me that Lime trees drop their leaves, and they are very sticky”.
Another community member expressed a similar desire for the Oak. She said: “It shouldn’t be a small oak, but rather one that’s very sturdy, given that our summers may not provide it with a great deal of rain and water.”
A council inspection in July found “significant decay” at the willow’s base and “advanced dieback” at its crown, making pruning no longer viable, according to a statement on Nextdoor.
The photos above show signs of honey fungus from beneath the willow’s bark. Local tree specialists warned against planting an identical replacement due to the species’ susceptibility to the disease.
The Royal Oak pub is situated directly opposite the site. Pub landlady Tanya Larikova said the willow felt like a permanent fixture in the community.
“It’s always been part of the view,” she said. “It’s the first thing I see when I look out my window, so it’s always been very special.”
For Larikova, the replacement of the willow will not simply mean filling an empty patch of green space.
“We haven’t just lost a tree”, she said, “we’ve lost a little piece of the community’s history and many cherished memories”.
The survey on the new trees closes 20 November. To vote click here.
