There is a certain quiet bench in the Edinburgh garden where lunch can be enjoyed even on the most crowded of days. In addition to its seclusion the bench faces due South and, until today, one could enjoy the sun shining through the beautiful form or an elderly Ostrya carpinifolia.

Alas at some point overnight its fungus weakened roots gave out and accession number 19665087A fell. Whether the sodden ground from recent snow was a factor in the timing is a point of discussion.

By summer a new visitor won’t notice its absence, it will take a little longer to fade in the memories of those who picnicked beside it but the tree will live forever in our scientific records.

Ostrya carpinifolia (Hop hornbeam) is a native of Southern Europe and the Balkans. It is in the Beech family.

19665087A is survived a member of the same accession 19665087B at Dawyck.