Hungry Tree, Dublin

The Hungry Tree is a living curiosity: its trunk has grown around part of a cast-iron park bench. You can see the seat and metalwork vanishing into the swelling wood, creating the impression that the tree is swallowing it. This is a London plane in the grounds of King’s Inns, just inside the south gate.

The bench dates from the early 1800s, while the tree is estimated to be between 80 and 120 years old. Its height is 21 metres, and its girth measures 3.47 metres. What began as an ordinary planting has become a much-photographed Dublin attraction.

Its unusual form also prompted a preservation campaign by Ciarán Cuffe, who sought stronger protection for the tree. The bench remains the unforgettable detail: metal furniture slowly enclosed by living timber.