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The Queen's Green Canopy

The Queen's Green Canopy

Ancient Woodlands and Trees

Summary

Stunning photographs of the United Kingdom's most spectacular trees - with a foreword by His Majesty the King.

The Queen's Green Canopy is a beautiful photography book showcasing 70 ancient trees and 70 ancient woodlands dedicated by the QGC initiative in honour of Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee.

The book features extraordinary photographs of the United Kingdom's best-loved trees, many of which inspired historic figures, artists and writers through the centuries.

Alongside these photographs are short written pieces from contributors including Dame Judi Dench, Alan Titchmarsh, Dame Joanna Lumley, Adam Henson, Archbishop Justin Welby and Danny Clarke, as well as conservation experts from the Woodland Trust and the Duchy of Cornwall. In these pieces they reflect on the trees that have made a mark on their lives and the importance of protecting Britain's woodlands for future generations.

Selected trees include yews at a Cotswold's church which inspired JRR Tolkien; the apple tree believed to have inspired Sir Isaac Newton's theory of gravity; the Five Hundred Acre Wood in East Sussex immortalised in AA Milne's Winnie the Pooh books; and the 2,500-year-old tree where Henry VIII may have proposed to Anne Boleyn.

So far 3 million trees have been planted by communities, schools and businesses across the country as part of the QGC initiative. Through incredible imagery and joyful pieces of writing, The Queen's Green Canopy celebrates Her Majesty's extraordinary life and the amazing legacy she leaves behind.

About the authors

Adrian Houston

Adrian Houston is a tree photographer and passionate conservationist. His work has seen him travel to some of the world's most unexplored and inhospitable terrains, with his powerful photographs subsequently gracing everything from advertising campaigns to magazine covers. In 2021 he published A Portrait of the Tree, a photography book that illustrated how trees connect us all on a universal level. Adrian's work has been exhibited both at The National Gallery and The Royal Academy of Arts. When he is not travelling, he is based at his studio in Soho, central London.
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Charles Sainsbury-Plaice

Charles Sainsbury-Plaice has photographed His Majesty the King over many years in his previous role as The Duke of Cornwall. His work has featured in magazines such as Country Life, The Field, Horse and Hound, and Racing Review, while previous clients have included The Duchess of Rutland, Barbour, Hunter boots, The Daily Telegraph and Tatler. Charles has contributed photography to books including Harmony: A New Way of Looking at our World, England on Horseback and Shooting: A Season of Discovery. He is a passionate conservationist and is involved in tree planting projects at Tidgrove Estate in Hampshire.
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