Eucalyptus history in the UK

The first Eucalypt introduced into the British Isles was the Stringy Bark (E. obliqua) in 1774 at Kew from seed collected by Tobias Furneaux at Adventure Bay on Captain Cooks second voyage of 1773.  On Cook's third voyage of 1777 a number of specimens were collected and it was from this that the genus was described by L'Heritier in 1778.  The name Eucalyptus is derived from the Greek eu - well, calyptos - covered, which refers to the cap on the flower bud. For a long time the only species collected were coastal and they naturally had a low frost tolerance and did not survive long.  From 1836 until 1847 some of the hardier species from inland Tasmania were sent to the British Isles and interest increased into the late 19th century with the establishment of private collections on certain estates.  There was interest in establishing Eucalypts as plantation trees but there were many problems due to growth stresses of splitting of the bases at felling, cupping, twisting and collapsing. After World War II interest increased for uses for the cut foliage trade and ornamental planting.
Barnards of Bovey Tracy, Devon and Taudevins of Willaston, Cheshire specialised in Eucalypts and were largely responsible for developing propagation in the UK. Particularly the importance of avoiding root restriction, the use of small plants and cutting back after planting to promote a better root/shoot balance. By 1980 the understanding of Eucalypt physiology and genetics had advanced greatly. Their extreme variability within a species, the frequency of hybridisation and the importance of provenance was known and began to be applied to the problems of establishment in cold climates. In 1981 the then Forestry Commission under Dr Julian Evans commenced trials of 102 species, provenances and seed origins on nine sites.  The hardiest provenances that survived the winter of 1981/2 were planted out in 1983 but further commercial forestry use has not resulted.  Their work, however, has been extremely valuable for the selection of suitable species and provenances for ornamental and cut foliage planting. There are more than 700 species of Eucalyptus but only a few will thrive in this country.  In fact there are usually only two species available if at all. At Celyn Vale Nurseries, few trees had been planted on the hillside.  In 1982 we planted native trees and a number of Eucalyptus gunnii (Cider Gum) - the most commonly available Eucalypts which in favourable conditions, can grow very fast indeed.  Being impatient for trees this sounded very good.  But they did not survive their first winter, nor did a selection planted the following year.  Then 200 young trees were grown from seed offered in a catalogue from supposedly hardier plants but only two survived that third winter. We then realised that the key to success would lie in obtaining seed direct from wild plants growing in very cold and exposed areas. Plants living high on mountains, on exposed plains or in frost pockets have to be tougher than those of the sheltered lowland hills and valleys.  If the Eucalyptus Cider Gums originally planted had come from the colder reaches of the species range surely they would have survived.  We have worked with the U.K. Forestry Commission's very helpful research into Eucalypts in Britain and other Australian specialists have given invaluable advice on very precise areas where various naturally occurring species experience extreme cold, out of season frosts, wind-chill and exposure.