A much-loved ash tree in the heart of Glasgow has won the annual Tree of the Year competition organised by the Woodland Trust.
While many trees featured in the competition are located in the remote British countryside, the Argyle Street ash stands out as it is situated on one of the city’s busiest roads. Author James Cowan described the tree in his 1951 book *From Glasgow’s Treasure Chest* as “quite the most graceful ash I have seen.” This sentiment is a point of pride for local residents, and the quote is proudly displayed in the pub opposite the tree.
Cowan’s book also recounts an urban legend: a sapling grew by accident when a local family returned from holiday with primrose roots, one of which contained the ash seed. The Argyle Street ash is unique in the street and stands 75 feet tall, casting shade over the surrounding sandstone tenement houses.
Across the UK, many ash trees have been felled due to the deadly fungal disease ash dieback. However, the Argyle Street ash, planted during the Victorian era, has remarkably survived the Clydeside blitz, recent redevelopment, and the disease.
The tree surpassed several notable contenders, including the King of Limbs oak—which inspired a Radiohead album title—and the Lonely Tree that sits on the edge of Llyn Padarn in North Wales. Also in the top five were the Lady Jane Grey oak in Bradgate Park, Leicester, and a majestic cedar with low-sweeping boughs at Chiswick House, London, where the Beatles were once photographed.
Adam Cormack, Head of Campaigning at the Woodland Trust, said:
“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. 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.”
The tree has been managed in recent years by arborist David Treanor, who nominated it for the competition. The Argyle Street ash is protected by a Tree Preservation Order, believed to be one of the first such orders in Glasgow. Other nominators included local MSP Paul Sweeney and Stuart Murdoch of the band Belle and Sebastian.
This win marks a second consecutive victory for Scotland, following last year’s triumph of the Skipinnish oak.
The winner of the Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year competition will go on to represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year contest in early 2026.
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