This site has several wonderful mulberry trees, including one of the largest mature white mulberries in London, on a mound. Nearby and near to the footpath are three mature black mulberries. There is a young paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) on the mound, near to the white mulberry. There is a mature white mulberry by the Wellington memorial at Hyde park corner too. And 2 black mulberries. The trees are a reminder of King James l mulberry garden ,which stood nearby (NW corner of Buckingham Palace and part of Green Park) in the the 17th century, planted to set an example in his effort to establish an English silk industry. The plan failed through lack of serious interest, as well as the cool, damp climate and lack of expertise in rearing silkworms on a commercial scale. The failure was NOT as is often reported because he chose "the wrong mulberries". Italy, Spain, France, Persia, Sicily and the Byzantine Empire all had thriving silk industries based on black mulberry sericulture for hundreds of years.

Find out more at www.royalparks.org.uk/press-and-media/factsheets-on-the-royal-parks/trees

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