"Chris J Dixon" wrote in message
...
Whilst at Grand Designs Live, I heard a talk by James
Alexander-Sinclair, who I have to say was a most engaging and
informative speaker.

He encouraged us not to keep plants simply because they have been
there for a long time, saying that he often finds an overgrown
forsythia in a corner of a garden, boring for most of the year,
and constantly in need of cutting back.

This prompted me to think about replacements for mine. I have
room for a small tree, but wonder what is considered to provide
the greatest amount of year-round interest?


Clerodendrum (or Clerodendron) trichotomum - frost hardy small tree or
shrub. Can be seen growing in the garden of the Hop Pole, Limpley Stoke,
near Bath. A very beautiful tree.

s.

On 2009-10-16 19:00:28 +0100, "someone" said:


"Chris J Dixon" wrote in message
...
Whilst at Grand Designs Live, I heard a talk by James
Alexander-Sinclair, who I have to say was a most engaging and
informative speaker.

He encouraged us not to keep plants simply because they have been
there for a long time, saying that he often finds an overgrown
forsythia in a corner of a garden, boring for most of the year,
and constantly in need of cutting back.

This prompted me to think about replacements for mine. I have
room for a small tree, but wonder what is considered to provide
the greatest amount of year-round interest?


Clerodendrum (or Clerodendron) trichotomum - frost hardy small tree or
shrub. Can be seen growing in the garden of the Hop Pole, Limpley Stoke,
near Bath. A very beautiful tree.

s.

We have one here in our garden, a very mature one. It is indeed a most
lovely thing which, IMO, should be planted much more widely. But it
appears stone dead for most of the year, coming into flower in late
summer. This is not a tree for all year round interest, unfortunately
and certainly not in a prominent place in a smallish space, IMO.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-10-16 19:00:28 +0100, "someone" said:


"Chris J Dixon" wrote in message
...
Whilst at Grand Designs Live, I heard a talk by James
Alexander-Sinclair, who I have to say was a most engaging and
informative speaker.

He encouraged us not to keep plants simply because they have been
there for a long time, saying that he often finds an overgrown
forsythia in a corner of a garden, boring for most of the year,
and constantly in need of cutting back.

This prompted me to think about replacements for mine. I have
room for a small tree, but wonder what is considered to provide
the greatest amount of year-round interest?


Clerodendrum (or Clerodendron) trichotomum - frost hardy small tree or
shrub. Can be seen growing in the garden of the Hop Pole, Limpley Stoke,
near Bath. A very beautiful tree.

s.

We have one here in our garden, a very mature one. It is indeed a most
lovely thing which, IMO, should be planted much more widely. But it
appears stone dead for most of the year, coming into flower in late
summer. This is not a tree for all year round interest, unfortunately and
certainly not in a prominent place in a smallish space, IMO.
--

Oh, sorry. I've only seen it through the summer and autumn and coveted it,
I guess I misread the original post. I just wish I had room to plant one.

s.

On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:24:11 +0100
echinosum wrote:

Chris J Dixon;866981 Wrote:
I have
room for a small tree, but wonder what is considered to provide
the greatest amount of year-round interest?

I strongly recommend a Cornus kousa of some kind. Has showy "flowers"
in late spring, then showy berries in late summer (which are actually
delicious to eat) and good autumn colour. Though nothing special in
mid-winter.


A great suggestion, even just the species is a fine small tree. The flowers
are really long lasting, great autumn colour, makes a fine shape in winter.

I'm fond of my snake-bark maple. I think the bog-standard Acer davidii
are not the best. I have Acer (grosseri var.) hersii (sometimes
considered a subspecies of Acer davidii). Hers's Maple, which does what
the previous poster says, and has showier snake markings than some. But
they do fade a bit in the winter. Acer pensylvanicum is another one
with very showy stripes. Other bark-trees that can be considered
include the paper-bark maple acer griseum, and many showier birches,
though some of those can get a bit big. Unfortunately Arbutus x
andrachnoides gets very big.


Acer davidii and A. davidii ssp. grosseri (currently accepted for Hers'
Maple, var hersii having been merged in with ssp. grosseri generally)
get pretty big, to 15 or 10 meters respectively, so that might surpass
what the OP considers "small."

A. pensylvanicum is a bit difficult to grow in our climate because it likes a hot
summer to ripen the wood, which otherwise is very susceptible to
dieback in spring frosts. 'Erythrocladum' has fantastic red and white striped
bark in winter but is notoriously difficult to grow. (A similar but easier
plant is A x conspicuum 'Phoenix.') Also for some reason deer and
hare really appreciate pensylvanicum shoots, it's always attacked first...

One of the best snakebark maples is Acer x conspicuum 'Silver Vein' which
has extremely good silver and green markings, pretty umbels of flowers, and
a very nice form. Also some of the more obscure ones like A. micranthum
and A. pectinatum ssp. forrestii (formerly A. forrestii) are lovely smaller
trees with fine brilliant red fall colour and beautifully striped bark.

Another snakebark that is very easy and full of interest is the variegated
A. rufinerve 'Albolimbatum,' a fast grower with good orange fall colour and
very good striping.

A. griseum is a wonderful tree, fantastic in winter, spring (bronze new foliage)
and fall but a bit matte in summer. A very slow grower too, of course.

I find my amelanchiers a bit disappointing. Flowers for 10 minutes,
berries not so wonderful unless you choose the variety carefully, and
does need a moist non-alkaline soil to grow well.

Agree completely, gorgeous but don't look away... I almost appreciate
the new foliage more than the flowers since the color lasts longer!

-E

--
Emery Davis
You can reply to ecom
by removing the well known companies
Questions about wine? Visit http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com

We had a question like this in an RHS exam. I pt down Prunus subhirtella
autumnlis for three seasons of interest, good colour, not too big etc
etc.
I got it right according to Jed the teacher so it might be worth looking
at.
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk