The road is lined with over one hundred giant sequoia trees, known at the time of planting as Wellingtonia.

[3] The road leads from the ridges in the west toward Wellington College in Crowthorne to the east.

[4] The road's construction was initiated by John Walter from Bearwood House,[3] some 6.5 kilometres (4.0 mi) to the north-west.

The trees were planted in the early 1860s (most sources report around 1863 and 1865,[3][5][6][7] though other sources state the planting began as early as 1859[8] or 1861[9] or as late as 1869[3]) as a memorial to the Duke of Wellington, who had lived in the nearby Stratfield Saye estate.

[10] Similarly, Sir Herbert Maxwell described the trees as being "clothed with verdure from the ground to the summit"; and their effect being "very stately and impressive".