Here you can spot Blockhouse’s elm-tree-flanked promenade. These young trees will likely grow to a height of approximately 30m and can live for up to 100 years. Elm leaves are round to oval, toothed with a rough, hairy surface. They have the characteristic asymmetrical base that other elms have, and taper to a sudden point at the top.
In the past, English elm dominated the British landscape, but has been ravaged by Dutch elm disease since the 1960s. Now it is only found occasionally in hedgerows or woodland. Many birds and some small mammals eat elm seeds and the leaves provide food for the caterpillars of many moths and butterflies, including the white-letter hairstreak butterfly.
Elm wood is strong and durable with a tight-twisted grain, and is resistant to water. It has therefore been used to make boats and boat parts, furniture, wheel hubs, wooden water pipes, floorboards and coffins.