After the colourful and bountiful days of summer,LEAF COLOUR CHANGE: Autumn colour is spectacular and unpredictable. It relies on a complex and variable combination of climatic, environmental, genetic and physiological factors. It is not only the leaves that can offer exciting colour combinations; stems, fruits and berries play a significant role too. Their contribution help the plants take on a new lease of life, especially when masked in a film of frost or dusting of powdery snow. Berries and fruits are the jewels of our plants and their ripe, rich hues delight the eye in a feast of colour, variety and shape. Acers: These are amongst some of the most colourful trees, many who started the season with leaves of green take on a dramatic colour change as winter draws near. A. japonicum 'Aconitifolium' is a bushy tree or large shrub with mid green leaves turning to red for a fiery autumn glow. A. palmatum var. 'Coreanum' turns to brilliant red in autumn. A. triflorum with its peeling, grey-brown bark has leaves that become brilliant orange-red. A. palmatum Osakazuki with leaves that have 7 lobes, turn brilliant scarlet during autumn. Noted for its beautiful autumn leaf colour, Amelanchier lamarchii the June Berry with its delicate, star-shaped, white flowers in March to April and bronze leaves maturing to dark-green and then orange and red in autumn; is an upright-stemmed shrub or tree and an ideal specimen plant for a shrub or mixed border in full sun or part-shade. Betula: Most birches colour well in autumn displaying beautiful golden yellow tints. However, planted on chalk or limestone their foliage tends to turn brown before falling. Cornus nuttallii: Will colour bright red before the leaves fall. And the spindle berry, Euonymous alatus (Winged spindle) and E. europaeus, not only produces its curious 'spindle' like fruits but has foliage in intense glowing reds, that really stands out in the garden. The wood was once used for making spindles for spinning; its eventual height of about 5m will enable it to be considered for the smaller garden. There are a number of named cultivars available, with particularly intense colours.
Cotinus (Anacardiaceae): Some of the best shrubs for autumn colour are the smoke bushes, so called because the spent flowerhead clusters resemble a smoke-like cloud. The summer foliage is also attractive and one of my favourites is 'Notcutt's Variety' deep red purple, turning bright red in autumn. C. 'Flame' has dark green leaves turning orange-red. C. coggygria 'Royal purple' with it's rounded, purple leaves turning brilliant scarlet. C. 'Grace' also has purple leaves throughout summer, turning red in late autumn. A new variety, C. 'Golden Spirit' has lovely lime-greenish-yellow foliage turning later to shades of coral, orange and red. They all require full sun in well-drained soil for the best colour displays. Cotoneaster (frigidus): 'Cornubia' a vigorous, semi-evergreen shrub offers a splendid display of scarlet berries that cling to the length of each arching branch. C. salicifolius 'Exburyensis' an evergreen shrub producing bunches of pale yellow berries. These versatile shrubs with their bright, shinny green leaves, arching branches, rich coloured flowers and of course their masses of vibrant berries that appear later in the year are of interest throughout the seasons. Dogwoods (Cornus ssp.): Put on a final display of brilliant red and orange-gold before retiring for the winter. But they have so much to offer with striking flowers and wonderful stem colour. Katsura Tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum): A fast-growing, deciduous, spreading tree with small, rounded leaves, bronze, flushed with pink when young, turning bright green in summer. The autumnal foliage is superb, turning orange, red and yellow, though trees usually colour better on moist, acidic soils. The fallen leaves smell of burnt toffee. It is stunning planted as a specimen in the lawn, either with a single trunk or as a broader tree of several stems.
Hydrangea quercifolia (Oak-leaf Hydrangea): Is a fine bushy, mound-forming shrub, reaching 6ft (2m). It's a species hydrangea, quite different to the hydrangea normally planted in gardens, with different needs. The large, deeply lobed, dark green leaves turning red and purple in autumn are quite a spectacle. Its abundance of flower heads which are produced mid summer, will remain in place until late into autumn. Malus: Most of the crab apples colour well, in fact they give year round interest with spring flowers which develop into summer fruits that often last throughout the winter months. Because of their size the trees can be suitable even for quite small gardens, many do well when planted into large pots. 'Red Sentinal' has some of the most beautiful, bright red shinny fruits, which will cling to the branches for most of the winter. 'Golden Hornet' with its buttery yellow fruits. 'John Downie' has red-flushed, orange crab apples slightly oval in shape. The fiery leaves of 'Charlottae', which has semi-double, pink flowers in early summer with a scent of violets, is well worth growing. 'Tschonoskii' is a strong growing tree with distinctive columnar habit and particularly noted for its wonderful autumn colouring when the mid-green leaves turn to brilliant shades of yellow, orange, purple and scarlet. Single white flowers, tinged pink, appear in May and are followed by rounded red-flushed yellow-green crab apples. Parrotia Persica (Persian ironwoodis): Is a deciduous spreading, short-trunked tree with flaking, grey bark. The leaves take on all the exciting colours of autumn and the promise of the red flowers borne on bare wood in the coming spring, make it an interesting subject for the garden. Sorbus 'Joseph Rock' is a small tree growing to 23 ft (7m), produces flowers in May and June, bunches of butter yellow berries come later long with the autumn tinted leaves. S. sargentiana a small tree of 16 ft (5m) producing masses of red fruit bunched between bright green leaves. S. vilmorinii an elegant small Chinese species with ferny foliage, has pink berries that pale as they mature and just a little shorter at 15 ft. (4.5m). Grow in ordinary fertile, free draining soils.
Happy gardening, Patrick |
