Articles involving trees, shrubs, bushes, woods and hedges plus related subjects
I was facing due North when I saw this tree in a local field. It shows how the prevailing wind is blowing from the West and I found it fascinating that other trees had grown in a way that supported the elongated branches.
It is not a garden sized tree, unless you have many acres, but it is a reminder that these great carbon capture devices are to be prized and cultivated.
The first week of March and it was time for me to chop the Cornus Dogwoods down to size. The red stems that have shown up so well during winter will never be the same again if left on the shrub so they are ‘out for the chop’.
There are many other interesting Cornus trees and shrubs or new Cornus Alba Sibirica plants can be bought via Amazon
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‘Do not forget to pause and smell the flowers’ is an injunction oft repeated but it could also apply to pausing to inspect the flowers. It is easy to see the brash flowers of Dahlias, Peonies of Delphiniums for instance but close inspection of the petal-pattern or the individual florets can open up a new view of gardening.
One flower that fascinates me is the Cyclamen with the nodding head that straightens to a twist of petals what slowly untwist to reflex the petals back towards the stem. A fascinating natural process to observe. Look out for other dwarf bulbs including Crocus chrysanthus, Eranthis hyemalis (yellow aconite), Oxalis and Grape Hyacinth.
For structure in a miniature garden you can do a lot worse than Dwarf Conifers but be wary of slow growers that will eventually dominate like Juniper horizontalis and Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Ellwoods Gold’.
It pays to think small and to look closely. If you are limited for space it may pay to create a garden in miniature selecting all the small species you would like to see in Acres of space.
It is a bit late to be setting New Years Resolutions for 2010 but I intend taking more interest in Roses and more care of Rose trees this year. Normally the one thing I give up for lent is my new years resolutions but since I am a late starter this year I will stick to the Rose this time.
This month I will be ordering some new bare rooted roses of ‘Ruby Wedding’ and will leave you to guess why.
Masquarade Rose
Masquerade’ (above) is a floribunda rose with dark green foliage and semi-double flowers of mixed yellow turning red as they age.
As a climber the Masquerade will grow upto 6 feet tall and repeat flower through the season. It has fine colouring, negligible scent but is OK for a north facing position.
Baby Masquerade is a cross with tom thumb but retains all the Masquarade charecteristics on a 10″ high plant.
The velvety, deep red rose (below) was established in my garden when I moved in almost 30 years ago and I have never known its name. Perhaps I should do some digging through rose catalogues to find out.
Eucalyptus or Gum Trees are fast growing shrubs and trees best noted for their attractive scented leaves and stems. They tolerate a variety of soils preferring a deep loam. The leaves on this young tree are still coin shaped but will develop as the tree matures.
Gardeners Tips
Beech or Fagus are a small genus containing some of the most noble trees that can make a fine specimen tree. This weeping Beech’s full name is Fagus Sylvatica Pendula or the Weeping Beech although I have christened in the Crying Beech.
It is a large and spectacular form with the main stem or trunk covered in droopy hanging branch lets. There are several related weeper but this tree was quite singular in it’s habit and grew to 50 feet yet still looked immature.
Fagus sylvatica ‘Purple Fountain’ as an excellent tree with cascading branches and dark, bronze/purple/green foliage. Very similar to other weeping beech but much more columnar in shape. Leaves turn more green throughout the summer.
Beech in Autumn at Valley Gardens Yorkshire.
Amazon supply Beech trees and Purple Beech. but a nursery would have a wider selection.
Spring flowering Magnolia x soulangeana can be planted now. Container grown plants from grafts or cuttings will flower sooner than bare rooted shrubs. Check the container is not pot bound and older, grafted plants will perform quicker. It is a case of paying a bit more to get what you want as it can take up to 5 years for Magnolias to start flowering.
Growing Tips
Varieties to Grow
On Ilkley Moor the heather is blooming and smelling a treat. Certainly the horseflies seemed to think so until we got to the top of the moor where the heather really made a statement.
In your garden heaths and heathers can be very useful perennial plants. They have all year round interest and are generally low maintenance plants (and being hardy they take a bit of killing).
There is a Heather Society for the enthusiast which can be found on this link