First of all we had our lunch early, then we went to Harcourt Arboretum. We met Kate there (Dr. Castleden, the education officer). We then looked at different trees and had to identify them. The Horse Chestnut tree had broken conker shells on the floor below it. It also had horse shoe bumps in the wood and the buds were big and very sticky. We then looked at the lime tree. It had small buds that weren't sticky and were in the shape of boxing gloves and water shoots around the bottom of the tree that were exactly the same as the big lime tree, but smaller. Also the branches grow off in twos. We then went and looked at the Cornus tree which could be either yellow or red. It had pointy sharp buds and the bark was rough in the winter. You could see the bark whereas in the summer you can't, because the leaves of the tree are covering the bark.

After we had had a look at all the trees we went to plant some trees ourselves. We were put into groups. I was with Latysha, Danny and George. We were put with a person who then told us how to plant the trees. Our group was with Tom and we had Mrs Ingman to help us.

First we had to get the turf off the ground because if we planted the trees with the grass round it the grass would suck all the water and food and the tree wouldn't have any and then it would die. Then once we had done that there was left what is called clay soil. Then we would dig a hole that was fairly deep, (it was very hard) go and get a tree that had been grown in a red/burgundy type soil. We put the tree in the hole and the soil had to go up to where the tree suddenly went greeny/browny. After that we spread the roots out put the soil back in the hole and gave it a gentle stamp with our feet. We then put a plastic tube round it that you slipped over the top. This was so animals such as deer, rabbits and squirrels couldn't eat the tree. Then we had to put a cane of bamboo into the plastic and stuck it into the ground so the tree would grow straight. Our group managed to do 4 trees each, so 16 trees altogether. It was very difficult!      by Charlotte, year 6