Street tree planting in Hong Kong in the early colonial period (1842-98)

Abstract

Attempts to create shade and provide greening in Hong Kong by planting trees along the city's streets are not new. Historic photos of the city's streetscapes from as early as 1860 show mature street trees, indicating that planting must have commenced right at the outset of the colonial period. The history of street tree planting in Hong Kong has been obscured, however, through the loss of most official records and because none of the street trees planted in the early colonial period survived the repeated typhoons, urban development, and privations of war. The oldest known trees in urban districts (Haiphong Road, Nathan Road), are considered to have been planted around 1890.