Those of you who regularly check in with the Beasties’ Facebook page might remember Explorer Beastie’s trip to the Bee Garden at Moneypenny’s Lock back in July. The awesome all-you-can-eat bee buffet is just one part of an ongoing project to restore this stretch of the Newry Canal…
But Moneypenny’s Lock is also home to another incredible plant – and this one has been around a lot longer. Meet Moneypenny’s Yew!
And exactly how long has this tree been standing guard over the Lock-Keeper’s Cottage? Well, here she is as a young lady, in 1886…
Imagine all the changes she’s witnessed in her lifetime – the busy canal becoming quieter, falling into neglect, then being given a new lease of life in the last few years by a group of enthusiastic volunteers.
Paddy and Plunkett are big fans of this special tree, too!
That’s why we’re all hoping you might take a minute to give Moneypenny’s Yew your vote in the Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year Competition. She’s up against some stiff competition – including the celebrity trees of the Dark Hedges (as featured in Game of Thrones). But I think it’s high time this tree, in a quiet part of the country, got her moment in the sun!
You can cast your vote here, on the Woodland Trust’s website.
Good luck, Miss Moneypenny – the Beasties and I are rooting for yew!