A fine veteran Black Mulberry stands in the garden of Down House, the home of the celebrated naturalist), Charles Darwin (1809-82), author of The Origin of Species and father of the theory of evolution . The tree, which is situated in the north-west corner of the lawn at the back of the house, was already mature in Darwin's time. He and his wife Emma (née Wedgwood) and two eldest children moved there in 1842. It was in the Old Study at Down House that Darwin wrote his most famous works, and where he died aged 73. Emma gave birth to 8 more children. Annie, their first child, died of suspected tuberculosis aged 10. Two of their other children died young. Darwin's inexhaustible curiosity prompted him to carry out innumerable experiments using the plants and creatures in the garden and meadows around the house. He built a hothouse and kitchen garden where he carried out further studies, some of them ground-breaking. The Darwins' children loved the house and gardens and helped their father with his experiments. The mulberry is still vigorous and still produces abundant fruit, but has suffered the ravages of its 250-odd years. It has lost several limbs, one in 2021, which crashed into the house as it fell. The hollow trunk was(pointlessly) filled with concrete in the 1960s and three upper limbs are supported by props. The Head Gardener is currently encouraging the tree to propagate by layering, by pegging a lower branch into the soil.

Public transport: Train to Orpington or Hayes, then a bus (146 or R8

Find out more at www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/home-of-charles-darwin-down-house/history/garden-highlights

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