Alnus glutinosa.

Having expressed to my nearest and dearest my intentions towards horticulture, perhaps it is of no surprise that Father Christmas had also gotten wind of it. To my great delight, I first unwrapped a new and - joy of all joys - unholey pair of gardening gloves. Hurrah! I was given a tree identification kit too, which included a tree height measurer, information cards, and seed packs of alder and silver birch. I begin with the former.

Alnus glutinosa, "Black Alder".
(Deciduous tree.)

Planting: Autumn to winter.
Flowering: Summer, fruit in autumn.
Aspect: Full sun.
Hardiness: Hardy.

Notes: Alder is a pioneer species, improving soil and paving the way for other plants to follow.