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Category: About Trees

Articles involving trees, shrubs, bushes, woods and hedges plus related subjects

Favourite Camellias

Favourite Camellias

As in the depth of winters we know that bright colourfull Camellia shrubs and small trees will soon burst forth.

Camellias are by nature evergreen woodland shrubs or small trees. They prefer an acid, leafy soil and some shade and protection from early morning sun for the flower buds. The flowers are classed in various forms including single, semi double, Peony form, Anemone form, Rose form or Formal double. My own semi- double white camellia catches the early frost and turns brown but the profusion of buds still make a great show.

camellia-japonica

Waxy flowers of Camellia ‘Satans Robe’ and the even more waxy leaves of the camellias are one of the early joys in the spring garden. There is a range of camellias to suit most conditions and if you can’t find the lime free soil most varieties need they will grow in a pot of ericaceous compost.  Flowers vary in size up to 5 inches across in yellow, red, white and pink.

Some Camellia Species

  • Camellia Japonica, Sasanqua and Reticulata have special sections with some of the best varieties described or selected below

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Use Shrubs for Lower Maintenance

Use Shrubs for Lower Maintenance

It is no surprise that annuals need replacing every year. Shrubs are great for lowering the amount of maintenance needed in your garden. Big shrubs can cover larger areas and need very little care and maintenance.
Rhododendron
Rhododendrons can have a wide spreading habit over may yards or the smaller varieties will suppress other plants in a smaller bed.

Weigelia Varigata

This shrub grows over six feet high and covers a four foot circumference. When in full flower it is very striking and the variegated leaves have interest through summer. It is easy to propagate from 12 inch long cuttings of semi ripe wood and it is a rapid grower reaching good proportions in two years. Other varieties like Bristol Ruby forsake variegated leaves for very strong coloured flowers in June and July with a late show if you cut off the old flowers but for low maintenance don’t bother.

Varigated Weigelia in the sun

Photinia Red Robin

This is a shrub that can be left to develop or trained up a single stem. It is part of a family of Photinias that include small trees. For this variety of Photinia fraseri five feet is a reasonable size but it will continue to grow to a hight and spread to 10 feet. The shiny evergreen leaves are bright red in spring and apart from the danger of a bit of frost to the new leaves the shrubs are hardy. Again I don’t prune my photinia but when it gets to large i will cut it back which will encourage more red leaves at the expense of flowers

Two year old Photinia

Trees Exposed to Wind

Trees Exposed to Wind

Trees exposed to gales quickly become logs or kindling.

Snow Business

Gardeners have a lot to consider when confronted with the elements and vagaries of various plants. This picture encouraged me to consider trees exposed to wind in the form of a light breeze (a good thing), a strong blow and devastating hurricane force (a bad thing for English Trees in 1987).

Tips for Exposed Trees

Trees can act as a wind break but if too  exposed they may suffer. Think about the trade off and why you are planting a particular tree in a particular spot. (Trees are for life not just for decoration unless it is a Christmas tree).
Wind can make trees lean and so young saplings may need staking until they are well established. However the ability to sway in the breeze builds up the strength of a tree. Tie the tree low down otherwise the head can snap off in a gale.
If a tree is exposed then the growth will not be uniform and the side facing the prevailing wind will show less or shorter growth. Site your trees especially specimen trees in a wind shadow but not a rain shadow.
Too much wind damage will cause delamination of the roots & bark, cracking, rupture and buckling.
Strong winds cause trees to sway, pulling and stretching their roots and creating gaps in the soil that can stop water getting to roots.
Species vary in their response to wind. Most rhododendrons are sensitive to moderate wind and react by closing their stomates, reducing loss of water by transpiration. In contrast, trees such as larch and alder under the same wind conditions maintain open stomates and continue to photosynthesize and transpire.
Fruit tree growth increases as wind exposure decreases.
Trees can be partially supported with strong forked props.
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Conifers for Winter

Conifers for Winter

Conifers are not just for Christmas! For shape and colour a winter garden needs conifers.

These conifers match our colour scheme and show up well in the winter garden.
If you buy small conifers in pots they will give you years of pleasure.
Be warned if they grow 10% a year they will double in size in 7 years and be 8 times the size in 20 years. From my experience many varieties grow at more than 10% per annum.
Special dwarf conifers, ofter from alpine nurseries have been selected from sports of larger conifers and can remain stunted without looking awkward
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Leycesteria Formosa Shrubs

Leycesteria Formosa Shrubs

Leycestria

Leycesteria Formosa

Green winter stems on this attractive fast-growing shrub is described as ‘cut-and-come-again’ as it can be reduced to ground level in early spring to encourage rejuvenation. Although this plant has only been lightly pruned, it is a bit thick and congested now so I will cut it back after flowering and right back in spring.

Leycesteria has long, hanging, purple-red bracts in summer surmounting racemes of white flowers followed by purple fruits in late autumn. It has a light fragrance from the white flowers. Its foliage can be quite dense and its hollow, bright green stems, not dissimilar to those of bamboo, give a good winter display. It grows to 8 foot plus and flowers at the end of this years stems

Propagate and Cultivate

By cuttings of half-ripe wood, 3-4 inches with a heel in July/August or from larger cuttings of mature wood, 8-10’’ with a heel, planted in open ground in October/November. Or by seed and the birds may help with that job. When established it is quite robust

I have seen Leycesteria also named Flowering Nutmeg and Himalayan Honeysuckle from which family it belongs. The green leaved variety is most common but you may find a yellow leaved form.

Wind Breaks for the Garden

Wind Breaks for the Garden

When the East wind doth blow we shall have snow and what will the gardener do then poor thing?

wind-break

Windbreaks are used to protect plants from excessive and strong wind. The right design can deflect wind and create a micro climate to the benefit of soft plants in need of protection. However the wrong design can create currents where only normal wind previously existed. A windbreak will be effective for upto 10 times its height so a 6 foot barrier will protect 60 feet but the wind will get progressively stronger as the vacuum created by the barrier is filled with wind. A narrow barrier wont get the job done as the wind will blow around the edges.
The wrong windbreak will pile up snow where it is not wanted but the oppposite should be true. Plan your location of any wind brak for all seasons.

Natural Windbreaks

  • Hedges and plants are a natural way of creating a barrier. A percentage of the wind will get through the balance drifting over and round.
  • A solid wall of vegetation is seldom the best solution the wind hits it and is forced over the top creating swirls and eddies. Slowing the wind with a layered defence is the best approach with several lines of shrubs and trees as a defence culminating in the larger backstop. In such cases the wind is slowed all the way through so little eddying occurs.
  • Willows are a windbreak plant par excellence. A double row can reduce windspeeds by as much as 60% even in the winter. They will typically grow 6ft or more in the first year and often reach 16ft or more by the third year. Control the roots and the height though.

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Growing Fothergilla Shrubs

Growing Fothergilla Shrubs

A cottage garden structural shrub that is making a comeback in popularity
fothergillia

All plants and shrubs seem to move in and out of fashion and Fothergilla are currently enjoying a cult status amongst many gardeners. However they are not so commonplace that you should be put off growing one.

Fothergilla major is a favourite plant for Autumn colour of reds, oranges and yellows that also produces frothy and fragrant white flowers in mid Spring. The spring leaves are glossy, dark green and rounded with toothed edges. Fothergilla leaves turn brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow in autumn. This deciduous shrub can grow to 20 feet but is best restricted in a small garden. It produces suckering stolens that may be propagated and plants can also be grown from seed.

Fothergilla gardenii or the Dwarf Fothergilla also called Dwarf Witchalder grows upto six foot high and is a better mannered version of Fothergilla major. All Fothergillas seem to like wet or moist soil and they should not be allowed to dry out.

A superb introduction from Commercial Nurseries is Fothergilla Blue Shadow with powdery blue foliage that was discovered as a sport from the cultivar ‘Mount Airy’.

More Spring Shrubs

More Spring Shrubs

Some of the first shrubs to flower, each year, produce the best show

Magnolia 11

Magnolia buds are just bursting on the top picture. This single Camellia has a vibrant colouring but has dropped some buds. The Rhododendron is a shocking pink for this time of year but what showy flowers.

Magnolia

The Magnolia society promotes this astounding flowering shrub.

camellia

Camellia Bud Drop

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Types of Apple Rootstock

Types of Apple Rootstock

Big apple trees may give you the pip but smaller trees can be a delight.

Modern apple trees are grafted on to a root stock that will govern the vigour and eventual size of the tree. These are the vital statistics of some common rootstocks.

Name

Nature

Height ft.

Spread ft.

M 27

Very Dwarf

4-6

5

M 9

Dwarfing

6-8

9

M 26

Semi-dwarf

8-10

12

M 106

Semi-vigorous

10-13

12

M 111

Vigorous

13-15

15

The larger the tree the more fruit it should bear up to 300 pounds on a mature orchard tree on M111. The smaller trees bear fruit after 3 years, larger trees need 3-4 years

  • Apples are potentially long lived trees and the small trees are often pruned into pyramids and central leaders. For an espalier tree get a root stock that is M26 or M106.
  • Semi dwarf and semi-vigorous can be grown in containers but need care with water and feeding
  • Smaller trees need staking all their life

There are many professional fruit tree firms like Ashridge, Ken Muir and Blackmoor but Amazon also offer a range using their supplier base.

Planning to Grow Fruit Trees

Planning to Grow Fruit Trees

So you want to grow Apples, Plums, Pears and some orchard type fruit trees. Well stone me these are right pips fresh from our garden tips.

Novice gardeners can expect to get fair crops from Fruit trees and bushes without too much effort. With extra care a great deal more can be achieved.

Beginners Tips
Go for well know fruit types do not start off with the exotic.
Buy good quality plants from a local nursery. Ask nurserymen what varieties grow well locally and do they need other trees as pollinators.
Give them enough space to grow in fair soil with some sunshine. Do not just cram them into a small corner space.
Trees need time to establish themselves but get better with time so do not rush the crops.
Bushes and canes will produce a crop quicker.

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