A 175-year-old tree in Glasgow, known as 'Argyle Street Ash', won the Woodland Trust's Tree of the Year competition – with a 2025 theme of 'rooted in culture' – and will now go on to represent the UK in European Tree of the Year early next year.
The urban ash, which is approximately 75 ft tall, won the popular vote and is the second consecutive winner to have come out of Scotland.
Last year, an ancient oak located in the Scottish Highlands was named Tree of the Year.
2025's winner came out on top of a shortlist of 10 trees, narrowly beating the 'King of Limbs', an ancient oak in Wiltshire estimated to be at least one thousand years old, and the 'Lonely Tree' in Llanberis – a lonesome slender birch set against an imposing backdrop of a lake and mountains.
Rather than wowing with old age or scenic surroundings, the Argyle Street Ash's appeal arguably lies in the connection to its community, growing tall on a residential street in Glasgow's city centre.
According to aborist David Treanor, who nominated it, the ash is part of the Glasgow's "emotional architecture", having survived redevelopment, the Clydeside Blitz, the rise and fall of Victorian industry and ash dieback.
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In-keeping with the competition's theme, the Argyle Street Ash is also 'rooted in culture', featuring in James Cowan's 1951 book From Glasgow’s Treasure Chest.
In it, the author describes it as “quite the most graceful ash I have seen”, a quote that hangs framed in the pub opposite, where traditional Gaelic live music is played regularly.
"Trees really matter to people, and this is clear from the response we’ve seen to The Argyle Street Ash. Trees inspire us to write stories and create art, whilst connecting us to cultural legacies and a sense of place," says Adam Cormack, Head of Campaigning at the Woodland Trust.
"We encourage people to notice and enjoy the trees around them, and learn more about how they benefit us – from boosting biodiversity and wellbeing, to mitigating the effects of climate change."
Wanda Sachs is the Multiplatform Writer for Country Living and House Beautiful, exploring the latest in gardening, wildlife and sustainable living alongside interiors and property. She is particularly interested in human-interest stories, the intersection of design and pop culture, and the evolving relationship between urban and rural life. Previously, she served as Associate Editor at The Berliner in Berlin, where she reported on culture and fashion. Wanda studied English and German at the Goethe University Frankfurt and Exeter University.
