One of the country's greatest and oldest collections of native and exotic trees is right here in our backyard in Thames.

So if you love the splendour of trees then why not head down to William Hall Arboretum – New Zealand's oldest arboretum – for a guided walk on Saturday, March 21.

The arboretum is abundant with trees from New Zealand and elsewhere, having been selected and planted by pioneering Thames chemist and botanist William Hall back in the 1870's.

The Thames-Coromandel District Council says about 182 of these trees still live and are being looked after with great care by its Parks and Reserves team.

'This walk is being led by David Wilton,” says council. 'A fifth-generation Thames local with a background in the physical sciences and IT and an interest in local history and archaeology.”

'He will be assisted by Gretel Boswyjk who is a senior lecturer in dendrochronology and dendroarchaeology at the University of Auckland's School of Environment.”

Dendrochronology is the science of dating trees and timber. It can be used to determine the age of buildings and to study climate change, among other things.

Council says the pair will guide walkers through the arboretum's collection of nationally and internationally significant trees.

This includes the separate Totara species known as Hall's Totara, named in honour of William Hall.

'A lot of work has been done recently on the arboretum to make it more attractive and accessible to the community with assistance from council, volunteers and charities including Forest & Bird.

'To honour the man who planted the trees, last October William Hall Reserve was officially renamed William Hall Arboretum.”

The walk will begin in the arboretum at Currie St, off Mount Sea Rd, on Saturday, March 21, at at 10am.

Later in the day, Gretel will give a talk on dendrochronology at The Treasury, 705-709 Queen St in Thames, starting at 1pm.

The new sign for the William Hall Arboretum when it was unveiled in October of last year. Photo: TCDC/File