Image source, Marcin_Kopij
The Heart of the Garden is thought to be 200 years old
By Maddie Molloy
BBC News Climate & Science
A Polish tree nicknamed Heart of the Garden, pictured above, has won the 2024 European Tree of the Year contest.
The monumental common beech tree grows in an old park in the University of Wroclaw's botanical garden. It's the third Polish tree in a row to win.
The contest celebrates our relationship with nature by showcasing beautiful and unique trees from across the continent.
Here are some other notable entries.
Image source, Emmanuel Boitier
Taking second place is the Weeping Beech of Bayeux in Normandy. Spreading over 40m wide, the city has provided structural support to keep it standing.
Image source, Valerio Atzori Corpo forestale Sardegna
In third place is the 1,000-year-old Olive Tree of Luras in Sardinia, Italy. Estimated to be between 3,000 and 4,000 years old, it's one of the oldest specimens of wild olive on the island.
Image source, José Couceiro da Costa
The curiously curated common camellia from Portugal was a strong runner-up. It stands out for centuries of careful shaping.
Image source, Hannah Farnell
The UK's entry, Wrexham's sweet chestnut in Acton Park, came in tenth place. Thought to be almost 500 years old, this giant tree has weathered many storms and survived being pillaged for firewood in 1940s post-war Britain.
The full results can be seen on Europe's t Tree of the Year website.
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