On the square in front of Mattioli Woods Welford Road in Leicester, the historic home ground of Leicester Tigers rugby club, a new avenue and square planting scheme has been installed. The stadium on Aylestone Road dates from 1892 and, with a capacity of almost 26,000 spectators, is England’s largest stadium built specifically for club rugby. In recent years, the area around the stadium has undergone a major transformation: alongside the existing stands, a new hotel, the official club shop and a spacious, fully redesigned forecourt with a striking bronze tiger head monument have been added. To give this new paved square between the stadium and the hotel immediate character, shade and cooling, fifteen trees were planted.

For this location, a mix of columnar and more freely growing species was chosen, suited to the compact planting beds between the paving. Eight columnar hornbeams (Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata', size 40-45) define the pedestrian routes across the square with their tight, upright habit, without blocking sightlines to the stadium facade and entrance. Four Ginkgo biloba 'Mascia' (size 35-40) provide a robust, urban-tolerant planting with a fine, even crown and golden-yellow autumn colour that keeps the square attractive beyond the rugby season. A single sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua 'Worplesdon', size 60-70) acts as the larger focal point at the entrance, with its distinctive foliage and rich orange-red autumn tones. Two small-leaved limes (Tilia cordata 'Greenspire', size 40-45) complete the planting with their familiar, stately presence.

All trees were carefully anchored and fitted with tree grilles, so they can establish well under the intensive footfall of thousands of matchday visitors. In a few years, right in front of the stadium’s imposing steel roofline and the hotel’s brick facade, this will become a green, shaded meeting place for supporters, hotel guests and local residents.

Location: Mattioli Woods Welford Road, Aylestone Road, Leicester, United Kingdom
Planting: 8x Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata' 40-45, 4x Ginkgo biloba 'Mascia' 35-40, 1x Liquidambar styraciflua 'Worplesdon' 60-70, 2x Tilia cordata 'Greenspire' 40-45