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Wauchope Graveyard |
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This is the graveyard of the old Niddrie House Estate and there are only a few gravestones here. There are two Redwood trees here, an Irish Yew, and a Common Yew. All these trees are evergreen. This means they don't lose all their leaves in winter. |
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Yew is one of the three native Scottish conifers (cone-bearing trees). The other two are Scots Pine and Juniper. Scientists estimate that Yew trees can live over 1500 years! Yew was once thought of as a sacred tree. It was planted in graveyards as a symbol of immortality (because it's evergreen) - and it was said to grow down into the dead bodies to release their soul and purify their blood! |
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It gives a hard and beautiful wood, which was used to make bows for shooting arrows. All parts of it are poisonous to animals and humans, except the fleshy, red ‘aril’, which grows around a large (poisonous) pip. It looks like a soft berry. Birds are fond of the aril and eat the pip too. The seed passes straight through them, and attempts to take root wherever it is deposited. Humans beware - you would be ill if you did the same.
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This graveyard is well looked after, with short, neat grass. It is surrounded by a sandstone wall, which is very valuable for small insects. Plants along the edge include Sycamore, Holly, Snowberry and Wych Elm. |
| What to look out for and when | |||
| Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter |
| Buds opening
on all the trees
Papery Wych Elm seeds Drooping green spikes of Sycamore flowers |
Yellow
flowers of Dandelions
Yellow and white flowers of Daisies Minibeasts |
White Snowberries in the hedge
Tiny, white holly flowers Red arils on Yew trees |
Red Holly berries
Different shapes of evergreen 'leaves' |
