Trebah GardensA family has marked a relative’s 100th birthday by dedicating a large tree in her name at a garden in Cornwall.
Sylvia Weatherhead’s family members visited Trebah Garden, in Mawnan Smith, near Falmouth, to mark the occasion with a coastal redwood tree which they adopted for her birthday.
Bosses at the site said Mrs Weatherhead, who turned 100 on 7 November, moved to the area in 1982 and became a life member alongside her late husband Tom as they visited the gardens regularly.
Mrs Weatherhead, who is unable to visit the garden anymore, said she was very excited to have the tree – which is believed to be 150 years old – dedicated to her.
Family handout“I have always had a love of gardening and when Trebah first opened to the public, I was keen to go with Tom,” she said.
“We appreciated the atmosphere of the garden and enjoyed the stroll down to the Helford river and took inspiration in the creation of our own garden.”
Speaking about reaching 100, Mrs Weatherhead said she put her longevity down to “good genes, keeping moving, drinking plenty of water and keeping interested in life”.
Darren Dickey, head gardener of the 26 acre site that houses a collection of exotic plants, said the team had been delighted to help Mrs Weatherhead and her family.
“We are very grateful for their support over many years,” he said.
“The redwood they’ve chosen is one of the most spectacular giants of the garden, and it feels especially fitting that a tree of such age will now be linked with Sylvia’s own remarkable century.”
