Trees are on my mind at the moment. The death of a fruit tree in the garden is providing the opportunity to plant something new. Also I visited the Beth Chatto garden last week en route to Suffolk and made a point of following their tree trail. So here are five trees that will be unsuitable for my garden but which looked so good in the autumn sun that I am going to share them. All the notes come from the tree trail guide. The sixth is from my garden.
One
Eucalyptus dalrympleana or the Mountain gum. A quick growing evergreen. The white bark, its winter colouring, was glowing in the sunshine.
Two
Koeltreuteria paniculata or Golden rain tree, Pride of India. The name golden rain refers to the thousands of small yellow flowers that hang above the foliage in July and August, as though about to pour down like rain of the tree. A sight that surely justifies a visit to the garden in summer. This tree in its golden autumn colours was beautiful.
Three
Araucaria araucana or Monkey puzzle, Chilean pine. Native to Chile and Argentina and much beloved in British suburban gardens. Which is surprising since they grow so big. But our suburban street conforms and there is a good specimen not too far from me. I have memories of these as a child, fascinated by its common name, it was one of the few trees I could easily identify.
Four
Malus hupehensis, Chinese crab apple. Laden with beautiful red cherry like fruits in autumn and with white apple like blossom in May. The crab apple tree is often put forward as ideal for the small garden but at a size of 5m x 4m it seems too big for the space I want to fill.
Five
Taxodium distichum Swamp cyprus. In case you can’t read the label: from the mangrove swamps of the Everglades, Florida. The knobbly knees on the left are the above ground growth of the trees roots. I love this view of the garden.
Six
After those magnificent specimens here is my dead tree. I didn’t get to see any fruit but I think it was an Apricot tree. The tree was in poor condition when we arrived and the small amount of blossom produced this spring was swiftly devoured by pigeons. It finally succumbed to bacterial canker over the summer. I wonder if I am being over ambitious in wanted to replace it with a small tree. I have a rowan or a hawthorn on my wish list but the location in a narrow border by the path may not be ideal. I’ll be cutting it down next week and will see what the view looks like without it.
I hope the beautiful colours of autumn are shining through in your gardens – of if you are in the southern hemisphere that spring delights are on their way. For a good look at both seasons stop by The Propagator’s blog where links to other sixes are added throughout the day.
Daphne Eternal Fragrance. I had resisted buying this all year on the grounds that I wasn’t sure I had the right spot for it. But there it was on the bench in front of me with a label that said suitable for containers. I’ll find a space for it soon.
I have moved the scented leaf pelagoniums into the potting shed and taken a few cuttings for insurance. That meant two summer containers were sitting empty. There in front of me was a tray of winter pansies.
Recently added to the wish list was Brunnera macrocephala ‘Jack Frost’. Described as good for shade and for ground cover, I thought it would be ideal for under the snowberry tree. These were lurking just around the corner from the pansies. Speaking of lurkers – do the slugs like brunnera?
I was almost at the exit point when I spotted the pots of Gaultheria Procumbens ‘Big Berry’. I’ve had these in winter window boxes before with some ivy. The red berries are usually plentiful.
I had to walk back to the beaming cashier past the bulb section and remembered just in time that I needed to top up the alliums and fritillaries.
I count myself as quite restrained – I can’t give you a full six from the garden centre purchases! My last for this week is something that is giving me cause for concern. These Liriope muscari ‘big blue’ went into the garden in autumn 2016 and have not flowered once. The RHS site promises ‘small violet-purple flowers carried in dense, erect spikes to 30cm in height in autumn, followed by black berries.’ To quote our esteemed leader ‘Nothing, nada, zilch.’ Any suggestions?
I’ve planted the same group of plants either side of a small path.. The Agastache ‘Alabaster’ were in the garden already and they have now been joined by Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’, Gaura lindheimeri ‘Whirling Butterflies’ and Pennisetum villosum. Fingers crossed for next summer.
On the diagonal opposite to this area is what was fondly known as ground elder corner. After three summers of digging it out I think I have the upper hand and so I am beginning to put in some permanent plants. First to go in is Trachelospermum jasminoides, a firm six on saturday favourite. I’m hoping it will very quickly cover the great expanse of unattractive brown fence.
Also adding some late colour are these Lillies. Yet more naming debates: are they now Schizostylis, or Hesperantha? I know which one I prefer. These came from the old garden and are bulking up nicely.
And since repetition is allowed and because the late colour is so fabulous, I give you again the Salvia ‘Amistad’ and the Rose, Darcy Bussell. The Salvias mooched along all summer but they have really established themselves in the last month. Darcy Bussell just keeps on putting out new buds.
n20gardener 