Three trees that once stood outside Buckingham Palace have been gifted to Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council.

Trees were gifted as part of the Platinum Jubilee weekend celebrations to 300 organisations across the UK by the tree planting initiative created to mark the Jubilee, The Queen’s Green Canopy.

These trees come from the “Tree of Trees” sculpture Designed by Thomas Heatherwick which was made to celebrate Her Majesty, who planted over 1,500 trees all over the world throughout her 70-year reign.

They are gifted in The Queen’s name in a pot embossed with Her Late Majesty’s cypher.

The trees are said to stand for hope, regeneration and optimism and are part of a million trees already planted across the UK as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy in honour of Her Majesty.

The Wiltshire recipients are the volunteers from Swindon’s vaccination programme, The John of Gaunt School in Trowbridge and The Harnham Water Meadows Trust in Salisbury. 

Presented by the Lord-Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Mrs Sarah Troughton, the trees will be planted at ceremonies to be held this Autumn.

The trees are said to stand for hope, regeneration and optimism and are part of a million trees already planted across the UK as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy in honour of Her Majesty.

Lord-Lieutenant for Wiltshire, Mrs Sarah Troughton said, “I am delighted that Wiltshire and Swindon been chosen to receive the trees (two Alnus glutinosa [alders] and a Betula pendula  [weeping birch]) from the Queen’s Green Canopy “Tree of Trees” and am proud to become part of this project to honour Her Late Majesty in our county.

“I much look forward to attending the planting ceremonies this Autumn, and I hope that these trees, plus the trees which were already planted in the county as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy, are enjoyed by everyone in the local community as a symbol of hope and regeneration for many years to come.”

The trees will be gifted evenly across the UK in proportion to the population, with each county receiving at least one tree.

The Lord Lieutenants of each county, who are His Majesty The King’s representatives, have been championing the QGC locally and have selected the recipients of the special trees.

During the summer, the trees were cared for by Barcham’s Nursery. The Queen’s Green Canopy is a not-for-profit initiative.