Barky Bark: Enjoy the ultimate doggy day out at Wakehurst

Our dedicated dog walking route takes in acres of woodlands at Wakehurst, from the towering redwoods of North America to shimmering British Birches. Download the Barky Bark trail leaflet here, pick up a copy on your next visit, or follow our guide below to enjoy a fantastic day with your four-legged companion.

Paperbark maple (Acer griseum)

There are thought to be less than 250 mature paperbark maples in the wild. You’ll notice its peeling or ‘exfoliating’ bark. This decorative quality means it’s popular in horticulture and can be found in over 200 botanic gardens like Wakehurst. Look out for one around Stables Kitchen, and dog-friendly dining area Stables Pantry.

One of the reasons the paperbark maple is under threat is because its fruits are often parthenocarpic, meaning they don’t produce seeds

Asian Heath Garden: Giant dogwood (Cornus controversa)

What are dogwoods named after?

A) Dags? Sharp objects like daggers. Supposedly, butchers used the UK’s native dogwood (Cornus sanguinea), to make their skewers.

B) Dogs? Dogwoods grow dogberries – berries that taste so bad they’re fit only for dogs.

We’ll leave that one with you!

Westwood Valley: Rhododendron

It’s not all about trees – bark protects the cambium of all woody plants, including shrubs like our rhododendrons.

Cambium is a tissue in trees that divides to produce the cells responsible for new growth. As cells pass further from the cambium they eventually die, creating structures which support and protect living tissue.

Phloem cells make up the outer layer of the cambium. They distribute sugar produced from photosynthesis throughout the plant. Old phloem cells eventually become bark.

Xylem makes up the inside layer of the cambium. It draws nutrients and water up from the roots. Old xylem cells eventually become heartwood. Around 25 per cent of all rhododendron species are threatened with extinction in the wild. Wakehurst’s globally significant collection contains around 300 IUCN Red-Listed specimens.

Westwood Valley: Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)

Traditionally, Sámi peoples of northern Scandinavia harvest the bark in midsummer. It can be eaten raw or dried and ground into flour. The harvesting method leaves trees standing, and there is evidence of harvested trees reaching over 600 years in age. Scots pine is the most widely distributed conifer in the world with a range stretching from Spain to Siberia.

Horsebridge Wood: Giant redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum)

This famously fire-resistant bark can grow up to two feet thick – longer than a Jack Russell tip to tail! Lesser known is its remarkable ability to disperse energy. Its bark fibres continually cross, creating an overlapping net. Air pockets created by this latticed structure insulate the tree, providing protection from rockfalls in its mountainous home. Building materials inspired by giant redwood bark have the potential to create earthquake-proof homes of the future.

Rock Walk: European yew (Taxus baccata)

Yews produce poisonous chemicals, so they’re left alone by herbivores. Those chemicals attracted drug researchers who discovered small amounts of paclitaxel in the bark, which was used in chemotherapy drugs from the 1960s.

Unfortunately for the Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia), where paclitaxel was first isolated, trees had to be felled to extract paclitaxel and the ratio for treatment was around three mature trees to one patient. Fortunately, further research found large amounts of paclitaxel in European yews, meaning it can be sustainably harvested from foliage.

Bloomers Valley: Cork oak (Quercus suber)

Cork oaks are able to regenerate their outer bark and can be sustainably harvested every 9–12 years. Traditional management of cork oak woodlands, called dehesa in Spain and montado in Portugal, supports an abundant variety of wildlife.

By using renewable forest products like the corks in wine bottles (floor tiles and shoes are also available!), you’re helping to support landscapes rich in biodiversity.

Coates Wood: Black salle (Eucalyptus stellulata)

Coates Wood highlights amazing variety in the genus Eucalyptus. A common feature across many eucalyptus species is bark shedding – whether that bark is smooth or ‘woolly’!

We don’t know for certain why trees shed bark, but potential reasons include:

natural growth and renewal
water conservation
fire adaptation
pest prevention
toxin removal

Or it could be a combination of reasons. A favourite species here is Eucalyptus stellulata. Its striking purples can be seen about ten metres off the path.

Bethlehem Wood: Paper birch (Betula papyrifera)

The Ojibwe and Wabanaki, First Nations peoples of north-eastern North America, make canoes crafted from sustainably harvested paper birch bark. In summer, the bark is peeled and skilfully moulded around a white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) frame and stitched with white spruce (Picea glauca) roots.

Clothing can be made from bark too! Historically, Salish peoples of the Pacific Northwest made fibres from Western red cedar (Thuja plicata). The inner bark was shredded and pounded. When soft, it could be turned into cordage for rope, waterproof hats, and even nappies!

Bethlehem Wood: Oak moss (Evernia prunastri)

UK oak trees are home to over 700 types of lichen, with the fissured bark of mature oaks providing a perfect micro-habitat.

The oak moss covering this tree is an air quality indicator. Where it grows, atmospheric nitrogen levels are low. Oak moss is used in the perfume industry, providing an earthy base note for many fragrances. It’s also a favourite nesting material of the long-tailed tit, as it creates a camouflaged nest.