A location in Maidstone, Kent, England featuring giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). Verified occurrence recorded by Redwood World. Thanks to John for supplying more sightings of Redwoods in Bearsted Road, Kent. We appreciate the weather in December is not always ideal for photographs, but the picture of the Giant Sequoia, (mentioned by John as a potential future champion), shows the silhouette outline of a mature tree very well and is a good comparison with the Coast Redwood shape. We have often found Redwoods easier to spot by their silhouette on dull days in the winter. John says, " I've been out on Boxing Day and found some real gems in Maidstone. I've attached some pics of coast and giant redwoods in Maidstone crematorium, opposite Notcutts (Garden Centre). I only took 3 pictures but they don't do the trees justice. There are 3 lovely coasts and 4 giants. The Coast redwood (in the above picture) - girth at 1.5m above ground 3.75m height estimated 80 foot plus the other 2 coasts are similar in height and girth. The large giant redwood was not possible to measure at time but I think we will have a future champion with this tree. I know it will be at least 6m in girth and will measure it in the summer. It lost its top 2 years ago and I was told it was then 120 foot plus. But the top is growing again and it looks healthy. It's about 70 foot high now. There is another young giant redwood that I took a picture of that looked nice - about 30 foot high. I also found some awesome dawn redwoods in a church by the river, but I didn't have my camera. And there is a young giant redwood at Bluewater shopping centre. " Looking forward to more information and pictures in the better weather John, Maidstone sounds very promising for redwood spotting and, something we have learnt to our cost, never leave home without your camera!
Visit information
- Access
- Open to public
- Last verified
- 10 Apr 2026
- Official site
- redwoodworld.co.uk/picturepages/maidstone.htm
Redwood species here
Native to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, giant sequoias were introduced to Britain in the 1850s during the Victorian plant-collecting era. They are the world's most massive trees by volume and have thrived in the UK's mild, wet climate, often growing faster than in parts of their native range. Many Victorian-era plantings now rival mature specimens in California.
Present. Native to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, giant sequoias were introduced to Britain in the 1850s during the Victorian plant-collecting era. They are the world's most massive trees by volume
Native to the fog belt of coastal California and Oregon, coast redwoods are the tallest trees on Earth. In Britain they thrive where rainfall, humidity, and sheltered woodland conditions echo their native range, forming narrow, soaring avenues and groves with reddish fibrous bark and flat fern-like foliage.
Present. The tallest trees on Earth, coast redwoods can exceed 100 metres in their native California. Less common in Britain than giant sequoias, they prefer sheltered, moist locations and can still reach impr
Dawn redwood is a deciduous redwood from China, known from fossils before living trees were documented in the 1940s. It reached British collections soon afterwards and is now found in parks, botanic gardens, and arboreta, where its soft summer foliage and rusty autumn colour make it distinct from evergreen giant sequoias and coast redwoods.
Present. A deciduous conifer thought to be extinct until rediscovered in a remote Chinese province in 1941. Seeds were distributed to botanical gardens worldwide in the late 1940s. Unlike its evergreen relativ
About this place
About Maidstone - Vinters Park Crematorium
Maidstone - Vinters Park Crematorium is located in Maidstone, Kent, England.
Species Present
Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum)
Native to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, giant sequoias were introduced to Britain in the 1850s during the Victorian plant-collecting era. They are the world's most massive trees by volume and have thrived in the UK's mild, wet climate, often growing faster than in their native range. Many Victorian-era plantings now rival mature specimens in California.
Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)
The tallest trees on Earth, coast redwoods can exceed 100 metres in their native California. Less common in Britain than giant sequoias, they prefer sheltered, moist locations and can still reach impressive heights in the UK. The tallest known coast redwood in Britain is over 50 metres.
Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides)
A deciduous conifer thought to be extinct until rediscovered in a remote Chinese province in 1941. Seeds were distributed to botanical gardens worldwide in the late 1940s. Unlike its evergreen relatives, the dawn redwood loses its needles in winter, turning a striking copper-bronze in autumn.
Access
This location appears to be publicly accessible. Please check locally for current opening times and any admission charges.
Data sourced from Redwood World (redwoodworld.co.uk) and enriched by Redwood Finder.