Stables And Lucraft: Ulmus Londinium

Forty years ago it was impossible to walk through a London park and not notice the unmistakable outline of the elm tree. But in the 1970s millions of elm trees were lost to Dutch elm disease, transforming the urban landscape.

Unknown to most Londoners the elm’s unique qualities helped to transform the city’s infrastructure. Water pipes made of elm wood brought London’s first piped water and old London Bridge was built from elm. Their legacy continues to live on in the names of our streets and places, such as Nine Elms, which recognise the formidable trees that once towered above them.

The capital is still home to surviving elms in our streets and parks, improving our biodiversity by providing important habitats for particular species of moth, butterfly and lichen. The Conservation Foundation’s Ulmus Londinium project is helping to regenerate London’s elm population and raise awareness of their importance to the capital’s heritage and ecosystem.

This installation is the creation of design duo Stables & Lucraft to celebrate the Elm tree’s relationship with London’s historic built environment, crafts and biodiversity.