Monday, November 29, 2010

Japanese Maple - A Very Special Tree

 I'm joining the blog carnival Favorite Plants hosted by "My Little Garden in Japan" for this post.
The challenge - to share your favorite plant.

For a plant lover, 
choosing one favorite plant is, of course, impossible.  
So, I'll highlight one of my many favorite plants, 
the Japanese Maple.  
While it's a wonderful tree, 
there's a special reason for my choice, 
but we'll get to that later.

 Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) is a beautiful group of trees - 
many cultivars cover a range of sizes, leaf color and forms.  
A variety can be found to fit most any scale landscape.  
The pretty form, leaf texture and 
spectacular fall foliage make them a great feature in the garden.


This cutleaf maple (Acer palmatum var. dissectum)
has a spectacular sculptural form. 


And now the reason for my choice.  
This is my Burgundy Lace Japanese Maple, which was planted 
in memory of my dear mother, who passed away in 2000.  
How fitting that she be honored with a beautiful tree,
 she who brought beauty to whatever she touched.  
She created a lovely landscape at our home, 
crafted its bounty into graceful arrangements and 
recorded them in colorful watercolor paintings.

My mother passed on her love of beauty and flowers.
But she did so much more.
She spent her life serving her family with a quiet and gentle spirit.
She made our lives rich with love.

And so I choose the Japanese Maple to honor my mother - 
a woman who excelled in all that really mattered in life.



  

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Fall Color - Shrubs

Fall focus is naturally drawn to
spectacular tree foliage.
But many shrubs
add color to the show as well.

Barberry (Berberis thunbergii is brilliant against
Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides)...
 
 
...or an evergreen backdrop.
But beware of Barberry's thorns!
Unfortunately, Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) is
considered invasive in many states. 
 

Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet'),
a great all around plant,
is also a great fall performer. 
 

Dwarf Fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenia) provides stellar fall color.
Check out Fall Ensemble for
plants to pair with Dwarf Fothergilla
for an even bigger show.
 

 Tatarian Dogwood (Cornus alba)
adds colorful fall foliage
to spring flowers and red winter branches
to round out its seasons of interest.


Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) offers
foliage color and berries to boot in the fall.
 

Foliage of some evergreen Azaleas, such as
'Hino Crimson', 'Blaauw's Pink' and 'Girard's Rose'
turns bronze to red in the fall.
They combine nicely with
Juniper, Oakleaf Hydrangea, Maiden Grass and Barberry. 


Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus 'Compactus' is one of the most vibrant fall color shrubs, and is often the default choice.  But there are good reasons to look beyond Burning Bush - it's large size, lack of interest in other seasons and invasive designation in many areas.  A colony sprouting from a neighbors plant just over my property line illustrates the point.  See USDA Plants Profile and invasive.org for more information. 















Some Japanese Spirea, such as 'Magic Carpet,' display autumn color.













Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) has
beautiful fall color to add to its list of merits.
'Pee Wee' and 'Sikes Dwarf' are smaller cultivars.


An evergreen juniper base sets off the
burgundy leaves of Viburnum.


Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica) has striking fall foliage to accent its berries.  Although it's not related to notoriously invasive Bamboo, it is considered invasive in southeastern US - see invasive.org and
USDA Plants Profile.








'Fire Power' Nandina is a cultivar for smaller spaces, and
said not to be invasive by the University of Florida IFAS Extension.
 

One of my favorites,
Summer Wine Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius 'Summer Wine') makes
a dramatic fall statement with its brilliant color.

For more fall color, see
Brilliant Trees and
The Fall Color Project at the Home Garden.

Although autumn foliage is fading fast, berries should continue to brighten the landscape
and provide winter decoration - see Fall Fruit.
 
 

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Fall Color - Brilliant Trees

 Radiant Red Maples
after a rain.
 
Brilliant Red Maples
are one of the
most celebrated
fall foliage trees.
 

 







Some of the best Red Maple cultivars for fall foliage are:
Acer rubrum
'Franksred' Red Sunset
and
Acer rubrum 'October Glory'
 


 






















Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum)
has pretty fall foliage
with the added interest of
peeling cinnamon colored bark.

















  
 While red maples get all the attention,
the golden leaves of our old Black Maple were
like a bright ball of sunshine this fall.



 Ash (Fraxinus) have pretty yellow fall foliage. 
The bad news is that the emerald Ash Borer is devastating the Ash population.


 Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida), desirable for its spring flowers,
also has wonderful fall color.
 
 
 
 
Bradford Pear has long been a favorite, but is susceptible to storm damage.
Chanticleer Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana 'Chanticleer') is a stronger cultivar.
 
 
  
  
Sweetgum (Liquidamber styraciflua) is another fall favorite.
Choose the cultivar 'Rotundiloba' to avoid those pesky gum balls.
 
 
 
 
Even a weeping cherry gets in on the act.
 
  
 
 
Maidenhair Tree (Ginko biloba) turns a 
stunning yellow in the fall.
While its habit can be quite variable,
leaves outlining its branches lend a sculptural look.
Generally, only male cultivars are sold in the trade since the
fruit of female trees in undesirable.

 






Last, but not least, the beloved Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
puts on its autumn show. 
 

  This Threadleaf Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum var. dissectum)
shimmers in autumn light.


For other fall performers see
Fall Shrub Color and Fall Fruit.

To see even more fall color, see
The Fall Color Project 
at The Home Garden.

 
 

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Fall Ensemble

A great example of garden design,
this plant combination
flaunts its autumn colors.

I happened upon this fall gem
tucked away at the rear entrance to the
AACA Library and Research Center
in Hershey, PA. 


Glowing golden hues of Dwarf Fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii)
blend beautifully with
crimson Cutleaf Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum var. dissectum),
Dwarf Zebra Grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Little Zebra') and
Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides).


Evergreens add contrast, structure and winter presence.
The burgundy echoed in the larger Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
contributes an overhead canopy.
 

Check out an informative article on
one of the stars of this garden, that will
convince you to try Fothergilla gardenii at fairegarden.



A stunning blend of fall colors.
  

 

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Book Review - Gardening for All Seasons


As the days get shorter and temperatures drop,
I'm apt to be curled up under an afghan
with a book in hand.
Gardening books are a
great way to "get outside" and
get inspired for spring planting
while staying toasty warm inside.

One book you may want to consider
for your winter reading list:

The most unique aspect of the book is its focus on seasonal bloom times.  A "Palette" of plants is listed for each of the four seasons, with the lists organized by flower color.  These palette lists are a great help when planning a seasonal or year round show.  Just pick and choose from the lists to ensure that your garden has blooms going all season.

The Summer Palette includes specific instructions for cutting and conditioning a number of popular flowers as well as for drying flowers. 



What I like:
The organization of plants by bloom time makes easy work of planning a year round garden show - no need to painstakingly create your own lists.  I also like the information on cutting flowers.

Could be better:
The focus for seasonal interest is almost exclusively on flowers - don't forget foliage, form and bark.  Plant information is fairly general - you'll need to get detailed information from other sources. 

Gardening for All Seasons - A helpful resource 
for creating a garden with interest through the year.

Heat up the cocoa, shake out the afghan and
dust off the books....
 

Friday, November 5, 2010

Great Grasses

 Ornamental grasses are at their
peak in the fall, but they
contribute to the garden
all season long.
 
For maximum impact,
follow design principles from

 Repetition and Contrast
The overall shape of Miscanthus grass (Miscanthus sinensis) is repeated in that of Yucca,
while its feathery grass plumes and Autumn Joy Sedum provide contrast.

 

Focal Point and Contrast
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is an impressive focal point during the summer. 
The grass mimics the form of Lavender and together they
soften and create contrast to the evergreen backdrop.
 

Layering and Repetition
 Grasses act as fronting plants here,
hiding the leggy bottoms of pink Hollyhock (Alcea) flowers. 
Their arching form mimics the
curved flowers of Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii).
 

Layering
Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra)
works well as a fronting plant for
mid-height perennials.


Line and Layering
Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca)
emphasizes the pleasant line of the bed and makes a
nice transition between the wall and taller plants.


Layering, Repetition and Contrast
Large grasses put their best foot forward
when they're placed in the rear.
Miscanthus grasses are enhanced by
fronting them with shrubs and perennials.

The reds in
Crimson Pygmy Barberry (Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea 'Crimson Pygmy'),
Autumn Joy Sedum (Sedum 'Autumn Joy') and
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) fall foliage
add striking contrast to the greens and tans of the grasses.


Massing
Masses of Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) and
Miscanthus sinensis make
a bold statement in combination with
colorful Sedum 'Autumn Joy'


Layering, Focal Point, Contrast and Repetition
Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora)
requires careful placement to look its best in the garden. 
It shines as a focal point here,
fronted by Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) which
mimics the grass fronds, but with a contrasting form.


Compact Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) is
one of the easiest grasses to use in the garden. 
 Its golden plumes add contrast
juxtaposed against bright magenta roses and
Crimson Sentry Maple (Acer platanoides 'Crimson Sentry').


With the right lighting and background,
Purple Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum')
makes a dramatic statement in itself.

For more information on grasses see:
University of Illinois Extension - Ornamental Grasses
Colorado State University extension - Ornamental Grasses

 
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