On the plaza in front of Mattioli Woods Welford Road in Leicester, the historic home ground of Leicester Tigers rugby club, a new avenue and plaza planting scheme has been installed. The stadium on Aylestone Road dates from 1892 and, with a capacity of nearly 26,000 spectators, is England’s largest stadium built specifically for club rugby. In recent years, the area around the stadium has undergone a major transformation: alongside the existing stands, a new hotel, the official club shop and a spacious, fully redesigned forecourt with a striking bronze tiger head monument have been added. To give this new paved plaza between the stadium and the hotel immediate character, shade and cooling, fifteen trees were planted.

For this site, a mix of columnar and more vigorous species was chosen, suited to the compact planting beds between the paving. Eight columnar hornbeams (Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata', size 40-45) define the circulation routes across the plaza with their tight, upright habit, without blocking views of the stadium facade and entrance. Four Ginkgo biloba 'Mascia' (size 35-40) provide a robust, urban-tolerant planting with a fine, even crown and golden-yellow autumn color that keeps the plaza attractive even outside the rugby season. One specimen sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua 'Worplesdon', size 60-70) serves as the larger focal point at the entrance, with its distinctive foliage and rich orange-red autumn tones. Two small-leaved limes (Tilia cordata 'Greenspire', size 40-45) complete the planting with their familiar, stately presence.

All trees were carefully anchored and fitted with tree grates, allowing them to establish well under the heavy foot traffic of thousands of matchday visitors. In a few years, a green, shaded meeting place will have developed here, right in front of the stadium’s imposing steel roofline and the hotel’s brick facade, for supporters, hotel guests and local residents alike.

Location: Mattioli Woods Welford Road, Aylestone Road, Leicester, United Kingdom
Planting: 8x Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata' 40-45, 4x Ginkgo biloba 'Mascia' 35-40, 1x Liquidambar styraciflua 'Worplesdon' 60-70, 2x Tilia cordata 'Greenspire' 40-45