On a lovely, warm, sunny afternoon, ten members of the U3A Botany Group visited Happy Valley to look at the large range of trees there. 54 different tree species have been recorded there; all of them, with the exception of a few native willows, have been planted, taking advantage of this nicely sheltered location.

We started in the mature section of woodland, planted by the late Edwin Harrold and still enjoyed by so many people. After Edwin’s death, the area was gifted to Orkney Islands Council who now share its management with the Friends of Happy Valley. We looked up at the large Whitebeam, the Japanese Larch with its rose-like cones, the impressive bark of the Monkey Puzzle, Wych Elm, Dombey's Southern Beech, (Is there another one in Orkney?) Ash, Hazel, several species of Oak and Alder. On the Elm we noticed some rather beautiful leaf curls (afterwards identified by Lee Johnson as probably being caused by Eriosoma ulmi - the Elm-Currant Aphid). We mused about where Edwin found some of these more unusual species.