Trail 03

3 Sweet Bay Tree

At the Williams Road frontage there are a number of Sweet Bay trees, (Laurus nobilis). The bay is a type of laurel and is used for culinary purposes. Our trees are near the maximum height for this species and as such lend shade to the grounds.

Around the foot of the trees are a number of suckers coming from the surface roots. These can be used for propagation.

There are many uses for parts of the bay tree. The leaves, when dried, can be used for flavouring meat dishes and soups during cooking. These leaves do not break down during cooking, so must be removed from food before eating, as they can be harmful if swallowed due to their coarse nature.

The berries and oil pressed from the fresh leaves can be used as spices. The wood from the branches can be used for flavouring during the process of smoking food.