Hiroshima Survivor Saplings Planted Across Cornwall as Symbols of Peace

A young ginkgo tree grown from the seed of a tree that survived the atomic blast at Hiroshima has been planted at Cornwall Council’s headquarters, standing as a symbol of peace and resilience. It is one of six saplings now taking root in public gardens across Cornwall.

Ceremony at Lys Kernow

The planting took place on Tuesday, 18th November, at Lys Kernow (New County Hall), attended by representatives of Japanese local authorities and mayors from towns across Cornwall. The ceremony was led by Cllr Rob Nolan, Chair of Cornwall Council, and Cllr Hilary Frank, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Schools.

Hilary, a fluent Japanese speaker, was joined by her husband Shojiro, whose family comes from Hiroshima.

She said: “Long after this year is over, these six ginkgo trees will keep growing, tended by the Cornish rain and reaching towards the light. They will remind us that peace, like a tree, begins with care and patience, and that the smallest act, rooted in hope, can grow into something far greater than we ever imagine.”

From Hiroshima to Cornwall

The story began five years ago when gardener Sam Nicholls, working at Penmount Crematorium for Cornwall Council, read about a ginkgo tree that had stood close to the epicentre of the 1945 atomic bombing. The tree was scorched and believed to be dead, yet in spring 1946 new buds emerged and it survived.

Moved by the story, Sam wrote to Hiroshima City to request seeds taken from the tree. The reply came with a condition. The seeds were shared only with local authorities that were members of Mayors for Peace, a global movement founded by Hiroshima and Nagasaki and recognised by the United Nations. More than 8,000 local authorities in over 160 countries are now part of this network.

Cornwall Council joined Mayors for Peace in December 2020, the seeds arrived, and Sam began nurturing them.

Six Saplings Across the Duchy

Five years on, the saplings now stand at Fox Rose Hill Gardens, Trewithen Gardens, Trebah Gardens, The Eden Project and Pencarrow House and Gardens, alongside the one planted at New County Hall.

Hilary said: “It was incredibly moving to be part of the ceremony at Lys Kernow, especially seeing Sam there as the first of his saplings took root in Cornish ground.

“The timing feels very fitting. This year marks 80 years since the bombing of Hiroshima, and November marks the first anniversary of Cornwall’s Faith Covenant, a joint commitment between Cornwall Council and our faith communities to work together.

“Cornwall was the first rural authority in the country to adopt a covenant like this, and it brings together members of the Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish and Pagan faiths, along with representatives from the Humanist community. It’s a partnership that celebrates diversity and grows through trust, understanding and care, mirroring the patient growth of the ginkgo trees now taking root across Cornwall.”

📷Attendees at the Ginkgo tree planting at New County Hall.