In this article, I intend to showcase and profile some of the Treehouse builders based in my home country. In doing so, I hope to illuminate some of the methods which are employed to create such structures - some of which will be common amongst many, while others might be specific to a particular craftsperson. Additionally, we will learn more about the indigenous trees we have in the UK as well as the ones best suited for treehouse construction.
To begin, let’s have a look at the Drynachan Lodge Treehouse in Scotland which I first saw featured in Pete Nelson’s book “Be In a Treehouse”.
Pete found this beautifully whimsical structure when his sister-in-law showed him an article she had found in the Wall Street Journal. Not surprisingly, Pete, who is one of the most enthusiastic treehouse fanatics there ever could be, decided to take a trip all the way from his home in the US to Scotland to see the treehouse for himself. So along with the many other beautiful pictures in his book, we have Pete to thank for these beautiful shots of both the interior and exterior of this magical mansion in the trees. The Treehouse was built by and belongs to Lord Cawdor whose family has owned the land on which it sits for many generations. The walls of the treehouse are made from a selection of old doors and windows that Cawdor found stashed around his estate and it sits nestled within and resting on a number of ancient Alders looking out over the beautiful river Findhorn.
Tree Profile: Alder
(Information from the Woodland Trust)
Latín Name: Alnus glutinosa
Brief Introduction: Cedar is often found close to swamps and loves damp, moist growing conditions.. The wood of this tough tree doesn’t rot when waterlogged, instead turning stronger and harder.
Cool Facts and Mythology:
-The green dye from the flowers of the Alder was used to colour and camouflage the clothes of outlaws like Robin Hood, and was thought to also colour the clothes of fairies.
-When it’s cut, the pale wood turns a deep orange, giving the impression of bleeding. Because of this, many people feared alder trees and the Irish thought it was unlucky to pass one on a journey.
-Much of Venice is built on alder piles, thanks to the durability of its timber in water.
-Alder used to be the preferred wood to make clogs, and it was said that a few alder leaves placed in the shoes before a long journey would cool the feet and prevent swelling.
More Info:
Alder is native to almost the whole of continental Europe (except for both the extreme north and south) as well as the United Kingdom and Ireland. Its natural habitat is moist ground near rivers, ponds and lakes and it thrives in damp, cool areas such as marshes, wet woodland and streams where its roots help to prevent soil erosion (This would explain why Cawdor found so many around Findhorn River). Mature Alder trees can reach a height of around 28m and live to approximately 60 years. The leaves are long, dark racquet-shaped and leathery, with serrated edges. The leaf tip is never pointed and is often indented.
Because of its association with the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Frankia alni, it can grow in nutrient-poor soils where few other trees thrive. Worldwide, there are 30 species in the genus Alnus. They are distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in North, Central and South America. A. glutinosa is the only species in the genus native to the UK. Soft and porous, alder wood is only durable if kept wet, and its value to humans is down to its ability to withstand rotting in water. Historically, it has been used in the construction of boats, sluice gates and water pipes. These days, alder wood is used to make timber veneers, pulp and plywood.
Alder Leaf & Tree:
Next up, let’s take a look at Blue Forest Treehouses:
Blue Forest Treehouses are based in Sussex and is run by a team of brothers. Their work focuses on large scale tree house builds for both commercial and private clients. The company outsources the construction of the treehouses to various contractors while they manage the design, budget ect. I found an inspiring array of treehouses and designs on their website, and will feature a selection of my favourites below. Also on the news section of the site I found some interesting articles, one of which delves into the history of the tree house. According to Paula Henderson and Adam Mornement in their book Treehouses, the first recorded instance of a treehouse used for recreation dates from the first century AD. At this time, Pliny the Elder, a Roman author and naturalist wrote of a treehouse which was built for Caligula in a Plane tree at Velitrae. Further in the article I also learnt about the oldest surviving treehouse which is in Pitchford Hall estate in Shropshire. This treehouse dates back to the early 17th century (with some extra parts added in the 18th) and sits proudly in a large leaved lime tree (Tilia Platyphyllos). Please see a picture of this magnificent building below:
The company also has a great Youtube channel which showcases many of their treehouses as well as a small video series from the early years of the company which documents some of their treehouse builds. You can watch the full series here. In addition, here are some of the interesting things I found/learnt from the videos:
- It is mentioned that they often build in mature oaks due to their strength and slow growth rate.
- Willow trees aren’t great for treehouses as even though they can grow to be rather large, they're actually still quite weak.
- Cedar is a good tree for building in as it is slow growing and strong.
- They use hemtex rope to cover the joins around the wood. This is a good, organic looking alternative to wood trim.
- Poplar is not a great tree for tree houses as it is quite brittle and fast growing.
- With cedar shingles, leave at least a 6mm gap to allow for expansion due to sun and water exposure.
I love these models!
Now let’s take a look at their Treehouses!
The Timbertop Treehouse
The main structure sits nestled away in the foliage while the crows nest, situated in an old oak tree takes things to higher levels. I love the rope bridge as well as the conical roof topped with a church-like spire finial.
Amberley Castle Treehouse
This tree house sits in the grounds of the ancient Amberley Castle, whose history goes so far back it even features in the Doomsday book! Certain features I particularly love are the cedar paneling as well as the oak shingles that flank the bottom half of the building. With the beautifully thatched roof and gothic-style oak arched windows the treehouse encourages us to leave reality behind and enter our very own fairytale.
Pretty epic castle too
The Fish Hotel Treehouse
What I find most striking about this treetop abode are the gentle curves of the wrap around roof. The design matches the organic shapes of the forest which the spacious deck invites us (the lucky few) to look out upon. I especially love the metal trim which reflects the dappled light of the forest.
Beautiful Birch Everywhere!
Next, let’s move on to The Treehouse at Loch Goil.
For this one, we head back to Scotland where this mighty treehouse sits upon an old Scots Pine tree overlooking the beautiful Loch Goil. The inception of this particular tree house began when Iain Hopkins, the owner of the hotel to which the treehouse belongs, decided he wanted to expand his business. His idea was to create a unique venue which would attract clients to use the space as a backdrop in advertisements/magazines/promotional material. Though apparently most around him said he was crazy, he was sure of his convictions and decided to go ahead. The build was completed by 1st of November 2004 and has since attracted much attention. From appearances in films to countless magazines, Hopkin’s crazy business idea certainly proved to be a good one. Now over 15 years old, the tree (and the house!) are still going strong and it has become a major attraction in the Scottish highlands, proving that regardless of age, we all love treehouses! I couldn’t find any details on who actually built the structure, but found that Iain Hopkins himself designed it and most likely contracted the work out to a building company.
Let’s take a second to admire this beautiful thing:
A picture of the great Scots Pine long before the arrival of its tenant.
Tree Profile: Scots Pine
(Information from the Woodland Trust)
Latín Name: Pinus sylvestris
Brief Introduction: The Scots Pine is one of only three native conifers to the UK, and our only native pine. It’s the perfect home for iconic Scottish wildlife, such as the red squirrel, capercaillie, Scottish crossbill and the Scottish wildcat. Mature trees grow to 35m and can live for up to 700 years. The bark is a scaly orange-brown, which develops plates and fissures with age. Twigs are green-brown and hairless.
Cool Facts and Mythology:
-In 2014, the Scots pine was voted the national tree of Scotland.
-Scots pine timber is one of the strongest softwoods available and is widely used in the construction industry and in joinery. It is used in the manufacture of telegraph poles, pit props, gate posts and fencing.
-The tree can also be tapped for resin to make turpentine.
More Info:
The needle-like leaves of the scots pine are blue-green and slightly twisted, and grow in pairs on short side shoots. Scots pine is monoecious, meaning both male and female flowers grow on the same tree. Male flowers comprise clusters of yellow anthers at the base of shoots. Female flowers are small, red-purple and globular, and grow at the tips of new shoots. After pollination by wind, the female flowers turn green and develop into cones. They mature the following season, so there are always cones of different ages on the one tree. Mature cones are grey-brown with a raised, circular bump at the centre of each scale. It thrives in heathland and is widely planted for timber, but is also found in abundance in the Caledonian forest in the Scottish Highlands.
What does it look like?
The Cedar Spire Treehouse
For the final treehouse we’ll look at in this article we shall remain in Scotland, but move further south to Fife (which happens to be my home county!). This sky castle rises an astonishing 45 feet into the air, and rests firmly in a grand old 500 year old Cedar tree. Apparently, the tree suffered a huge lightning strike which destroyed one of it’s largest limbs. Luckily the tree survived and the owners of the estate saw a great opportunity - a perfect space for a treehouse! In a stroke of design genius, the exposed tree trunk comes through the floor and is the centerpiece of the interior room in the treehouse (and can be used as a table). Some of my favourite parts of this design is the turreted roof with cedar shingles and the mesmerizing copper shingles covering the smaller turret (copper is truly one of my favourite materials!). It was built by High Life Treehouses.
Tree Profile: Cedar (My favourite tree!)
Latín Name: Cedrus libani
Brief Introduction: Stately, aromatic, gigantic. Cedar is one of the most majestic of all planted trees with its layers of branches and grey-green foliage, cedar is part of the enduring landscape of some of our grandest estates. Cedar is an evergreen conifer which can grow to 35m. The bark is blackish-brown with closely spaced ridges and cracks, and twigs are brown and slightly hairy. It has a distinct shape, with several trunks and clear horizontal layers in its structure.
Cool Facts and Mythology:
-Cedar is the national emblem of Lebanon and appears prominently in the centre of the Lebanese flag.
-Cedar was thought to represent purification and protection and represents incorruptibility and eternal life. It was apparently a Jewish custom to burn cedar wood to celebrate New Year.
-In antiquity, in the Middle East, cedar wood was used to build major buildings, such as temples, due to the tree’s exceptional size and durability.
-In the UK, cedar was planted in the grounds of nearly every stately home and mansion from the 1740s onwards; however, it is not commonly planted today.
More Info:
Cedars are Monoecious (both the male and female reproductive organs are on the same plant). Female flowers develop into a green cone, which becomes purple-grey and finally brown when mature, up to 12 months after pollination. Male flowers develop on separate cones that are small and greyish-green when immature, but lengthen and turn brown when mature. They release pollen into the air. Cedar is native to Lebanon and the eastern coast of the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. It is particularly well adapted to mountainous climates where they receive winter precipitation. In the UK you’ll find it planted in parks and gardens of large estates.
What does it look like?
A magnificent tree.
Thanks for Reading - More Treehouse related articles to come soon :)
