Love is taking root

Waltham Forest’s hugely popular Great Tree Giveaway is back for another year and is offering residents a free sapling to plant in their garden. As usual, the Giveaway is taking place just in time for Valentine's Day, so whether you want to give a loved-one, yourself, or even your garden a gift, a tree is the perfect present!

We have more than 5,000 young trees, known as whips, to give residents to plant in their own gardens in time for spring. You can pick from species including holly, hawthorn, crab apple, wild cherry, silver birch, maple and ash. 

You'll be able to collect a tree on a first-come-first-served basis from Monday 9 to Friday 13 February 2026 between 12.30pm and 3.30pm at the following parks:  ​

• Ridgeway Park (Park keepers hut)
• Langthorne Park (The Park Pavilion Birch Grove entrance E11)
• Lloyd Park (The Stables nearest entrance Bedford Road E17)
• Highams Park (Humphreys Café)

Our staff will be on hand with advice to help you choose a tree and offer advice on planting it in your garden. These trees are small to medium (between 30cm and 100cm) which are generally suitable for gardens and easy to carry and transport. 

The whips, once planted can provide a boost to your garden over the coming years and decades as they grow and start to provide habitats and food sources for all manner of insects, birds, and mammals. Collectively, they can help provide greater canopy cover, and help to absorb harmful emissions from the air we breathe.

Our Great Tree Giveaway is part of the council’s ambitious programme of nature recovery and a great way for residents to get involved in community action as part of our Together we are Waltham Forest campaign.

Cllr Clyde Loakes MBE, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate and Air Quality said: “Our hugely popular annual Great Tree Giveaway is getting underway from Tuesday 10 February, and with Valentine's Day soon after, you can show your love for the local environment by grabbing a free tree and planting it in your garden.

“You’ll be able to watch your tree grow in the coming years and hopefully thrive, as it takes nasty toxins out of the air, grows improved canopy coverage, and gives all kinds of wonderful wildlife a place to live and thrive.

“We want to work together with local communities across the borough to turbocharge nature recovery in across the borough and take on the challenge of the climate crisis.

“We hope thousands of residents will benefit from this amazing free tree offer and I want to thank everyone who plans to get involved for playing their part.”

• Find your local park on the council’s website.