What Determines the Autum Colour of Acers

Many myth surround the requirements Japanese maples have. Recently a visitor to the garden told me they thought growing Japanese maples in acid soil improved the autumn colour, which is why it is recommended.

I have considered this question myself, and I think that the amount of sunshine the tree gets during the growing season is a much better predictor of autumn colour then the pH of the soil.
This picture, of an Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium' was taken in Autumn 2009. The tree grows in a raised bed filled with ericaceous compost in my north facing front garden. It grows under the canopy of a Cersis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'. At the time this picture was taken the canopy of the Cersis was quite light and the tree had some sunshine in the summer month.

This is a picture of the same tree taken in October this year. The only difference is that the canopy of the Cersis is much denser and the Acer is now in full shade.

This is a picture taken this autumn of another specimen of Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium' growing in the ground in the back garden (the soil is slightly acid clay).  In the summer month it gets at least 6 hours of sunshine. The colour at the extremities of the tree is a deep red, while the leaves further down, which don't get as much sunshine are only red at the edges and are mostly dark yellow.

This is not a scientific experiment, but while the pH soil makes a difference, I believe it is the sunshine that produces the best colour.

Autumn Colour 2012

The miserable weather this autumn resulted in early and very good autumn colour.
We have been opening the garden for 4 years and this is the first time we had decent colour on the October open day (This year this was on 20 and 21st of October).

 In the foreground is Acer shirasawanum 'Jordan'

In the foreground is Acer palmatum 'Kamagata' a dwarf acer which is usually pale orange and pink in colour. It has been in the garden for 6 years and this is the first time it is bright red.

Acer palmatum 'Orangeola'

Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium'

The Rotary Washing Line - Thoughts on Garden Use

One of my pet hates is the rotary washing line, you know the one, it is located in the middle of the lawn, usually in full view of the patio. When in use it completely blocks the view of the garden. It can be taken out and stored, but who actually bothers?

When we moved into the house the obligatory rotary washing line was there. It was not behind the patio (we had a concrete coal storage box by the kitchen door instead). It was at the end of the garden, with and ugly dead straight concrete path leading to it. It was of course in full view of the patio. We removed it the first summer after we moved in.

What prompted all this? Well our dryer broke down, and a solution for the washing was required.

I then fondly remember my grandparents washing day. They did not have a washing machine or a drier, so every other week, on Monday, a woman would come to the house and do the washing in a large vat in an outhouse, while my grandfather hang the washing lines among the trees in the garden. I can't remember what happened on rainy days but I do remember white sheets fluttering in the wind (in those days all sheets were white), and me playing among them.

So I found some unused plastic rope from our house move and improvised some washing lines in the back garden.

Quite a few people have tried to convince me of the virtue of natural drying  but I am not sure... The weather was nice, and everything dried quickly, but what will happen when the rain returns? Not to mention the clothes were rather stiff and fluff and cat hair remained firmly attached.
I can't really see the washing line as a permanent feature in the garden. The new drier arrives tomorrow.. not a moment too soon.

Scented Signs of Spring

The last two weeks of glorious spring weather has been kind to the garden.

Despite the lack of rain the soil is still moist, and plants have been doing well.

A particular favourite during these past weeks is Clematis armandii. I grow it near the garage wall, over the entrance to the back garden, training it towards the kitchen door. In a warm evening the scent is irresistible.

In past winters, the cold weather damaged the top growth to such extent that I had to cut it almost to the ground, so there were very few flowers in spring. (Though a few appeared in August and September)

But this past winter, we only had one cold spell, which didn't do much damage, so tidying up was all that was needed. I even managed to get some shoots to the front of the garage.

Hellebores

Spring is finally really here, and though it has happened in the past, I can't imagine wintry weather coming back. The snowdrops are almost gone and many plants are starting to shoot and flower.

The ones that are at their absolute best at the moment are the hellebores. Commonly known as the 'Lenten Rose' hellebores are evergreen perennials from the Ranunculaceae family. They are long lived (some growing in my garden, inherited from the previous owners are at least 20yrs old), and grow in difficult places under shrubs and trees, but also in more sunny positions.  Hellbores hybridise easily, and most plants sold are hybrids.


A favourite is Helleborus x ericsmithii 'Winter Moonbeam'. Some turn their nose up at the variegated leaves, but grown in shade they are quite delicate. The flowers open white, turning pink as they age. (I grow them under a rose, close to the house, so they can be seen from the kitchen).

 Helleborus x ericsmithii 'Winter Moonbeam'

Another favourite growing in my north facing front garden is Helleborus x hybridus 'Harvington Shades of the Night'. Its one of my first hellebores. Its been in its place for about 7 years, and has grown into a large clump of around 15 flowers. It always puts on a great display.

Helleborus x hybridus 'Harvington Shades of the Night'

And finally, a new selection - 'Anna's Red' named after plants woman and writer Anna Pavord*.

I bought this on a visit to Great Dixter in February.

The flower is a large bright purplish red (the colour is a bit darker in reality), and is fairly upright.The leaves have some marbling, and since I planted it in partial shade, I would expect the marbling to be pronounced.

How well it does in the garden and how quickly it bulks up remains to be seen.

Helleborus 'Anna's Red'

*Anna Pavord is the author of 'The Tulip' and the wonderful 'The Naming of Names: The search for order in the world of plants'. A surprisingly interesting book on a subject you may think extremely dull.
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Winter Flowering Clematis

I love winter flowering plants, they make much more of an impact as an individual plant on a background of bare stems.
I planted  Clematis cirrhosa 'Freckles' about 4 years ago, on the fence surrounding the front garden, facing the driveway, so we can see the flowers as we go in and out of the house. Then came three hard winters and each winter there were one or two miserable flowers on the plant.
I started doubting the wisdom of planting it at all.

But this year, with the mild weather came a pleasant surprise.

The plant is covered in large beautiful flowers. I guess the weather does matter.

Flowering in the New Year

It's been a while since I wrote anything, as sometimes happens, life as well as an extended, and long awaited trip to Japan got in the way. I still didn't sort out the thousands of images I brought back, I hope to do so soon, so I can write about the amazing gardens I saw.

Meanwhile in the garden there is much more greenery then usual at this time of year. The weather has been mild in the autumn and well into winter with only a few days of frost. The roses have kept their leaves, and some have buds and a few flowers.

Walking around the garden the plant that caught my eye is Viburnum tinus 'Eve Price'.


It provides good structure during the rest of the year despite occasional attacks of Viburnum beetle. But, it is in winter when it is most valuable. I don't remember when it flowered during the snowy winters we had in the last 3 years, but I seem to remember it was much later.

Viburnum tinus 'Eve Price'