In National Tree Week, the wonderful mature trees in Bloomsbury’s squares cannot go without mention. The most venerable and celebrated of all, however, is the Great Brunswick Plane, currently showing its autumn colours. Well over 200 years old, this London plane (Platanus x hispanica) is believed to be the second oldest plane tree in central London. It was declared one of the Great Trees of Britain in 2009.

It has in recent years been surrounded by fencing to protect the drooping branches and avoid compaction of the ground around it so, although you can no longer come and hug it, you can still celebrate it with a special visit in National Tree Week.