Westonbirt is a historic, Victorian picturesque landscape and an internationally renowned tree and shurb collection. It is the National Arboretum and has 16,000 trees (2,500 different species) that comefrom Britain, China, North America, Japan, Chile and other temperate climates. Planting started in the 1850s by Robert Holford; the rich Victorian landowner to whom the Westonbirt estate belonged.  Within the 17 miles of accessible paths and five national collections, children become young adventurers, adults connect with trees through guided walks, workshops, self-led trails or just stroll through enjoying the beauty of the collections.  Westonbirt Arboretum consists of three main areas. The Old Arboretum (a dog free area) is a carefully designed landscape dating from the 1850s offering beautiful vistas, stately avenues and trees from around the world. Silk Wood (dogs welcome) is an ancient, semi-natural woodland which has exotic plantings throughout its landscape, whilst the Grade I registered Downs hosts speciesrich grassland and is a great picnicking location.