The Venue:

Tell it to the Trees

11 July 2009 – 15 September 2010
Croft Castle and Parkland, Yarpole, Near Leominster, Herefordshire HR6 9PW

Ancient woodlands, a mysterious picturesque valley, an intimate walled garden and a Gothick Castle are the setting for ‘Tell it to the trees’, a year long exhibition of contemporary sculptural installations and paintings at the National Trust’s Croft Castle in Herefordshire, from July 2009.

The National Trust

Map

The Event:

Tree Listening Installation - Alex Metcalf

Electronic recording of tree played through headphones

Meadow Arts commission Croft Castle May
October 2010

Meadow Arts, with support from The Woodland Trust commissioned artist Alex Metcalf to showcase his installation ‘Tree Listening’ at Croft Castle as part of the Tell it to the Trees exhibition.

The work was situated in a veteran lime tree approximately 400 years old which is well on its way to joining the exceptional ancient tree population at Croft.

While listening to the headphones hanging from the branches of the veteran lime tree, visitors could hear water being pulled up from the roots to the leaves through the Xylem tubes.

A quiet clicking sound could be heard that is produced by the water passing through the cells of the Xylem tubes and cavitating as it mixes with air on its’ way upwards. In the background visitors could hear a deep rumbling sound of the whole tree vibrating.

Alex Metcalf led workshops throughout the summer inviting participants to tour Croft’s parkland with him and his listening device, listening to the different sounds of other veteran trees.