Fairhaven Garden's Ancient King Oak's Crown Gets a Trim - Norfolk Broads

King Oak Fairhaven Garden 

FairhavenWoodland and Water Garden's ancient King Oak, believed to have been a sapling at the time of the Battle of Hastings and one of the oldest trees in Norfolk, has been given a 'trim' to ensure it's long-term health.

Four years ago, the King Oak's crown was suffering from die-back and was reduced in size to help stabilise the tree. The path was also moved away from the garden's champion tree to give it more breathing space. Visitors' feet were compacting the roots and suffocating the tree.

Matt Jordan, Fairhaven Garden's Head Forester explained: “We give the King Oak an annual health-check, along with regular visual inspections, looking for broken limbs and aggressive fungi. The tree has survived so long, because it was actively pollarded for many centuries and also grew next to a good supply of water. More recently, it has also responded well to the footpath being moved away from it's root system.”

Fairhaven Garden - Matt Jordan at work on the King Oak

”We had planned to do some tree surgery last autumn, but a hornet's nest prevented the work. So it has been good to get back up the tree and carefully remove some of the reactive growth that has appeared following the reduction in the size of the crown four years ago. The tree is strong and healthy, but by thinning out the four year-old growth, it will allow more air and light into the crown and encourage new shoots and a successful growing season. We have also been thinning out branches that are rubbing against each other, so we can prevent fungal infections in the wounds.”

Visitors can still get close to the King Oak and its neighbour, another ancient pollard know as the Queen Oak, and marvel at the trees' longevity.

Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden is at South Walsham NR13 6DZ, signposted off A47, half way between Norwich and Great Yarmouth at B1140 junction, t. 01603 270449.

The garden is open daily all 10am to 5pm . Garden entry is adults £6.85, concessions £6.60 and children £3.95 ( Fairhaven members and under 5 free). Free entry to tearoom, gift shop and plant sales.

There is wheelchair access throughout the garden, including a Sensory Garden and boat trips (April to October, additional charge). Visitors requiring special facilities are advised to telephone in advance, mobility scooters available.

Dogs are welcome on leads; small charge to cover poop scoop.

Ink in my Blood, my half century in newspapers by Neil Haverson - publishing 28 March 2018

Join Neil Haverson on his 50-year ride through the Norfolk and Suffolk newspaper industry. Neil has witnessed it all in the ever-changing regional media world – from flongs, hot metal and office cricket to full colour printing, digital editions and the web.

For much of his career, Neil worked in Eastern Counties Newspapers, latterly Archant’s commercial arm, but his talent as a humorous writer was discovered on the in-house Prospect magazine. This led to sporting columns and the famous ‘Fortress H’ dispatches in the Eastern Daily Press.

In this book Neil presents the ‘greatest hits’ from his Norwich Mercury, Eastern Daily Press and Let’s Talk magazine columns and his reflections on half a century of ink in his blood.

Neil Haverson

Neil Haverson worked in the Norfolk and Suffolk newspaper industry for more than 50 years. He began his career in the mid 1960s as an advertising clerk on the Lynn News & Advertiser, before moving to Norwich and Eastern Counties Newspapers (now Archant) at the dawn of the 1970s.

Neil continued in advertising, but by the end of the1980s, his skills as a writer were recognised thanks to humorous articles contributed to Prospect, ECN’s staff magazine. He was offered a sporting column in the Norwich Mercury and after three years graduated to a weekly column in the Eastern Daily Press. It soon was a regular fixture, as Neil’s wry look at family life, ‘Fortress H’, became a must-read.

In 2002 Neil made the full transfer from advertising to editorial, when he became chief writer for Let’s Talk, Archant’s new magazine for the mature reader. He was promoted to editor in 2009, a role he successfully fulfilled, until he retired at the end of 2016.

In retirement, he continues to contribute his monthly ‘Last Word’ column to Let’s Talk and a Saturday ‘Fortress H’ column, every fortnight in the Eastern Daily Press.

Neil lives at 'Fortress H' near Norwich with the 'long-suffering' Mrs H. Brats Major and Minor are no longer based at Neil's Norfolk stronghold.

Ink in my Blood

My half century in newspapers

Neil Haverson

Published by Paul Dickson, Wednesday 28 March 2018

Paperback A5, 160 pages, plus 8 pages of illustrations.

Price £11, ISBN 978-0-9956187-4-9