How common are gingko biloba (maidenhair?) trees in the UK?

Just to confirm what Avalon has said. The Ginko is a widely available tree and is not by any means rare in this country. I work at a non-specialist Garden Centre and we stock it. I'd expect to sell about two a year. It is not often seen in smaller gardens because of its ultimate size.

A few quite interesting facts about the Ginko.

Firstly it is the only living representative of a family of trees that are otherwise extinct and is regarded as a 'living fossil'.

It is classed as a conifer and is one of the very few that is deciduous - that is it sheds all its leaves in the winter.

It is widely grown in Japan as it is considered a sacred tree.

Lastly, it is one of those trees, like the willows, that have separate male and female plants. These, I have heard, vary a little in habit. Fruit is rarely produced in this country because it is seldom that a male and female tree are planted close enough to pollinate.

My neighbour has one in his garden in a village near Bath. He had a packet of seed given him about 9 years ago and has more in pots. This one he planted this year at about 10ft. high.

I see no reason why they shouldn't grow here as they are a kind of conifer albeit deciduous so I'm sure there must be plenty more. It can go up to nearly 100 ft tall so not suitable for a small garden.

There are plenty of nurseries offering them for sale too so I would say they are quite common and not as rare as you thought although I'm sure the Kew one is a magnificent specimen.

bushes will pass by way of transplant marvel. youthful bushes usually do no longer pass shocky for as long as older bushes, yet will pass by way of a marvel era. this could final for a pair of years. do no longer fertilize the tree from now on for no less than a 12 months or 2. Fertilizing a shocky tree is like giving espresso to a ill guy or woman. it could make the immune gadget weaker. whilst transplanting bushes, you may desire to constantly use the community soil (the soil you took out of the hollow) and combine in a small volume of soil replace. in case you employ all amended soil interior the planting hollow, the roots won't unfold exterior the hollow, they'll purely curve around like it become interior a pot. you may desire to ascertain you're no longer overwatering the tree additionally. i could advise doing a percolation attempt on your soil. Dig a hollow approximately 2 ft deep and 12 inches around. Fill the hollow with water. Watch to ascertain how long it takes the hollow to empty. If it takes extra effective than 24 hours, you have poorly draining soil and could water much less regularly.