The dataset comprises a range of leaf traits, measured from leaf samples collected from trees growing on deep alluvial soils and shallow chalk soils, near Mickleham in Surrey, UK. Across both sites, leaves were collected from 66 trees, representing six species. The six species common to both sites were: Acer campestre (field maple), Acer pseudoplatanus (sycamore), Corylus avellana (hazel), Crataegus monogyna (hawthorn), Fraxinus excelsior (ash) and Sambucus nigra (elder). Data were collected under the NERC Human-modified Tropical Forests (HMTF) Programme by the University of Cambridge in 2015.