Heath Park has trees that originate from the time when it was a private estate in the 19th and early 20th centuries - these include the Pinus radiata and Sequoiadendron giganteum. Having acquired the Heath Estate in 1937 the Cardiff Council carried out new planting immediately after the 1939-45 war, and again in the 1970s when a land reclamation grant was obtained to develop the areas vacated by the Training College.
A large wooded area remains in the central part of the park. In the years of drought 1975/76 more than 200 birch trees were lost in the west part of the woodland. This was replanted with a mixture of oak, ash and birch trees - though none of the birches actually established - and a shrub layer including native viburnums. There are also occasional exotic trees throughout the woods, including for example, a Juglans nigra and two Ginkgo bilobas east of the pond.
In the late 1970s a row of Acer platanoides (Norway maple) was planted to create a screen along the boundary with the University Hospital.
Extensive new woodland planting was carried out between 2000 and 2005 by the Council's Arboricultural Officer, Malcolm Frazer, to create a broad area of several acres to screen the hospital from the playing fields. This woodland contains an interesting mix of trees and shrubs including oaks, birches, pines, rowans, wild apples and pears and cherry plums. In late 2018 the most northerly section of the pitch and putt golf course became a new woodland, with the planting of a large number of small saplings representing a variety of tree species.
Notable trees, arranged in alphabetical order, in Heath Park are:
Name | Common Name | Origin | Status | Location | OS Grid | Tag | Place | Event | Waypoint | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Acer rubrum | Red maple | East North America | Western boundary | ST 17392 79770 | Heath Park | 316 | ||||
Acer saccharinum | Silver maple | East North America | North western boundary | ST 17387 80071 | Heath Park | 277 | ||||
Ailanthus altissima | Tree of heaven | North China | Wales Champion 2015 | Western boundary | ST 17386 79810 | Heath Park | 282 | |||
Betula nigra | River birch | Central & eastern USA | Approach road to main car park | ST 17843 79617 | Heath Park | 279 | ||||
Cedrus atlantica Glauca Group | Blue cedar | Atlas Mountains | Glamorgan Champion 2015 | East side of the pond | ST 17650 79839 | Heath Park | 162 | |||
Crataegus persimilis 'Prunifolia' | Cherry leaved hawthorn | East North America | Glamorgan Champion 2015 | Opp. 42-43 George V Drive West | ST 17381 79892 | Heath Park | 278 | |||
Crataegus x lavallei | Hybrid cockspur thorn | Garden origin | South end of western perimeter path | ST 17363 79591 | Heath Park | 538 | ||||
Malus x zumi 'Golden Hornet' | Crab apple 'Golden Hornet' | Garden origin | Between the two WW2 huts near entrance | ST 17883 79626 | Heath Park | 540 | ||||
Nothofagus obliqua | Roble beech | South Andes | Western boundary | ST 17375 79986 | Heath Park | 266 | ||||
Parrotia persica | Persian ironwood | Northern Iran, Caucaus | Opposite huts at main entrance | ST 17880 79601 | Heath Park | 280 | ||||
Pinus radiata | Monterey pine | California | East of the pond | ST 17689 79849 | Heath Park | 164 | ||||
Pinus nigra austriaca | Austrian pine | Austria, Italy, Balkans | Right of entrance to main car park | ST 17765 79641 | Heath Park | 269 | ||||
Pinus sylvestris | Scots pine | Europe to N.E. Asia | Left of entrance to main car park | ST 17759 79631 | Heath Park | 268 | ||||
Prunus 'Kanzan' | Cherry 'Kanzan' | Garden origin | Main entrance drive | ST 17785 79625 | Heath Park | 187 | ||||
Prunus padus 'Watereri' | Waterer's bird cherry | Europe | East of the pond | ST 17707 79852 | Heath Park | 177 | ||||
Quercus cerris | Turkey oak | S. Europe & Asia Minor | SE of Heathwood Lane car park | ST 17739 80032 | Heath Park | 264 | ||||
Quercus robur #1 | Common oak | Europe | East edge of main car park | ST 17765 79649 | Heath Park | 270 | ||||
Quercus robur #2 | Common oak | Europe | Field west of tennis courts | ST 17547 79785 | Heath Park | 281 | ||||
Quercus x hispanica 'Lucombeana' | Lucombe oak | Garden origin | Lawn Area, opposite College House | ST 17792 79660 | Heath Park | 248 | ||||
Sequoiadendron giganteum | Wellingtonia | California | East side of the pond | ST 17655 79845 | Heath Park | 163 | ||||
Tilia tomentosa 'Petiolaris' | Weeping silver lime | Garden origin? | Model railway approach road | ST 17850 79854 | Heath Park | 262 |