The 'Tree of the Year' finalists are all better looking than you

Is that a gun in your pocket, or are just pleased to see tree?

The 'Tree of the Year' finalists are all better looking than you

I don’t know about you, but I like a good gander at a majestic tree now and again. Nothing like a big, gnarled tree towering over me, being all old and noble and magnificent. But I always wondered: why isn’t there a competition to find the best tree? I can’t decide for myself which is my favourite one, but an officially-judged awards ceremony would do that for me quite nicely.

Lucky then, that there actually is a competition to discover Europe’s most fancy tree. And it’s called European Tree Of The Year 2017.

Woodland Trust chief executive Beccy Speight said:

“Once again the public has nominated many fantastic trees with truly inspirational stories, which highlight how intrinsic they can become in peoples’ lives. It’s a reminder of why we need to care for individual trees and that they still need true protection in law from development or mismanagement.”

Winners (as in the trees) will get £1,000 to spend on helping maintain themselves, and I guess for other tree things like hair wax to keep their leaves on fleek.

But before the European Championships, we gotta crown the UK’s best tree, and it’s a crowded field (pun so intended it hurts). Just check out some of these glorious green giants:

The Weeping Tree, in Paupers’ Graveyard, Newry, County Down 

56bf4c40f7507e68681dd0eb8ee7ff9d-1556670349-rJzs-column-width-inline

The Weeping Tree, Paupers’ Graveyard, Newry, County Down (Michael Cooper/WTML/PA Wire)

The Giant Redwood, in Llangattock Llangattock, Powys 

c5811284c8231e56157508a923aec9cb-1556670350-dh8r-column-width-inline

The Giant Redwood, in Llangattock Llangattock, Powys (WTML/ Mark Zytynski)

The Fairy House Tree in the grounds of Treffos Independent School, Llansadwrn, Anglesey

8acce3ef459e1d1441b3fc22d85b8ae2-1556670350-MU3X-column-width-inline

The Fairy House Tree in the grounds of Treffos Independent School, Llansadwrn, Anglesey (WTML/ Huw Humphreys)

The Pulpit Yew, in Nantglyn Nantglyn, Denbighshire

1074373b9e9345afa87f18320866fab6-1556670351-jIbf-column-width-inline

The Pulpit Yew, Nantglyn Nantglyn, Denbighshire (WTML/ Mark Zytynski)

Stratton Strawless Cedar, in East Anglia

a6df3ba486d5a6e3ea03428019cb1735-1556670351-NsCd-column-width-inline

Stratton Strawless Cedar, East Anglia (WTML/ David Woodcock)

Crowhurst Yew, nr. Hastings, East Sussex

65ebff2752e51c9da115328794a96579-1556670352-rqhe-column-width-inline

Crowhurst Yew, nr. Hastings, East Sussex (WTML/ Julian Hight)

Derriford’s Plymouth Pear, in Devon

934f41fb0dae9edbd34758f653716811-1556670352-ISbg-column-width-inline

Derriford’s Plymouth Pear, Devon (WTML/ Julian Hight)

The College Tree, in Foyle College/Londonderry High School, Derry-Londonderry

37034d89794a0173e3f377f9713f673d-1556670353-a64M-column-width-inline

The College Tree, Foyle College/Londonderry High School, Derry-Londonderry (WTML/ Michael Cooper)

The Big Tree, in Kirkwall, Orkney

78a1f0cb22951e279f54c20de8c492c6-1556670353-TyuW-column-width-inline

The Big Tree, in Kirkwall, Orkney (WTML/ Mark Ferguson)

Meavy Royal Oak, nr. Yelverton, Dartmoor

79a966ebf3d3566ba033f3e5d7299433-1556670354-dbpC-column-width-inline

Meavy Royal Oak, nr. Yelverton, Dartmoor (WTML/ Julian Hight)

The Courageous Tree, in Coniston, Cumbria

cd0c7b253c801a53c6d373c7d56ccb0d-1556670354-SpIA-column-width-inline

The Courageous Tree, Coniston, Cumbria (WTML/ Cumbrias Top 50 Trees)

The Hollow Tree, in Gnoll Country Park, Neath Port Talbot 

292fb8cc4de8c9e14bb83ba3a53a3265-1556670355-lpfk-column-width-inline

The Hollow Tree in Gnoll Country Park, Neath Port Talbot (WTML/ Mark Zytynski)

If you fancy voting yourself, you tree-hugger, you, then head on over here and get clicking…

Right, I’m off home now, which coincidentally is actually also in a tree, after I accidentally broke my flatmate’s PS4. Need things to simmer down before going back there.

(Images: WTML)