Hairy sequoia

A close-up of the bark of one of the sequoia trees in the Giant Redwood Avenue of Benmore Gardens. One year after having bought the estate in 1862, Piers Patrick planted 50 sierra redwoods (Sequoiadendron giganteum) to form the foundation of the avenue of today. He began the process of planting which was continued by subsequent owners. 

In the wild the sierra redwoods are native to the western slopes of Sierra Nevada in California and may live 3,500 years, reaching over 91m and weighing 6,000 tons. Their longevity is attributed to their massive trunk buttresses and to the red-brown bark which can be up to 60cm thick, making the tree partially fire resistant.

My extra photo is of the same rhododendron I blipped last week - a completely different colour after much rain, battering hail and a bit of snow!