Walnut tree from Roger Deakin’s home planted at the spot on the Blickling Estate featured in ‘Waterlog’

The tree planting took place as part of one of the National Trust’s writing workshops run by Jonathan Ward and was attended by The Book Hive, the National Trust and the Tree Council. Jonathan read an extract from ‘Waterlog’ about John’s Water before inviting members of the creative writing group to reflect on the location, the planting of a new tree and the story of why it was planted in this place. Here are a couple of the creative responses:

Growth

A newly-planted walnut tree, bone-fed,

listens to the mill race tell its old gossip:

how once a man swam here,

whose tree begat this little tree.

I will not live to taste its fruit

or sit in its shade as the planet simmers.

There is so much to forget,

so little to remember.

I want to say:

I had a little nut tree.

I don’t want to say:

and nothing did it bear.

I want to say:

This little nut tree is a promise,

and we must not break our word.

By Sue Burge, January 2025

A Tree For The Future

A crisp morning in January. A clear blue sky.

The sun plays dark shadows

with the alders on the bank of the Bure.

The mill house, startling white, its windows

holding the condensation of a cold night.

The mill pond, John’s Water,

where people swim and play in the lively Bure.

She tumbles and gurgles through the millrace.

Bubbles break the surface to twist and dance

like sprites until swallowed by the hungry current.

This rapid strap of water pushes on

towards the old depth post

where it splits and calms to whisper a blessing

on the walnut sapling planted today

for generations to come

as a symbol of hope in a tumultuous world.

When skies are dark and shadows deep,

may we find a pool to refresh our hope

and a walnut tree to hold us and soothe our troubled soul.

By Maggie Bewley, January 2025 John’s Water, Blickling Mill, where generations have swum and relaxed.

The tree is surrounded by protective fencing and a small sign has been added to the inside of the fencing which says, ‘Tree grown from Walnut Tree farm, home of Roger Deakin, author of Waterlog’.

Adam Curtis from the Tree Council – a charity which promotes tree planting – commented that: “Planting this tree is a celebration of nature writing, getting outside to connect with nature and trees and finding that time to do so.”

Henry Layte remarked that, “The planting of this tree completes a lovely circle: This sapling was grown from a parent tree which in turn grew from walnuts gathered by Deakin in Kyrgyzstan. In being presented to the Trust by another great nature writer, Patrick Barkham, it may inspire anyone coming here to wonder at the relationship between landscape and creativity.”

Jonathan Ward stated, “It is wonderful to be running creative nature writing workshops at Blickling again this year with all the stimulus that the Estate has to offer. The tree planting was at the heart of a workshop called 'Being with the Winter: A New Year Day'. The event was an inspiring and hopeful way to begin the year – acknowledging the importance of planting trees and linking to the nature writing legacy of Roger Deakin.

It was a symbolic, communal act for the group to share before having time to reflect, write and read out work beside the river and the newly planted tree.”

Blickling Estate’s General Manager Heather Jermy commented that, “Blickling Estate nestled in the Bure valley has inspired countless generations of creative minds over the centuries, and this year we are celebrating creativity in all its forms. It feels appropriate to start the year by planting this tree, which is linked to this special location through creative nature writing,”

Special events, presentations and creative activities will be taking place across the estate in 2025, with lots of opportunities for visitors to be inspired by the nature, art and history of the estate, including creative writing workshops on the theme of 'Being with the Spring' including writing visits to the gardens and bluebell woods.