Tree recommendation

A place to chat about anything you like, including non-gardening related subjects. Just keep it clean, please!

Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter, Chief Spud

User avatar
garden_serf
KG Regular
Posts: 208
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:05 pm
Location: Cornwall

I agree Acers certainly do look fantastic in Autumn.
I like them planted as group so the different types can really show off against each other.
There is an area of Cotehele House (near Callington, Cornwall) gardens with a collection of Acers planted next to each other and the light just bounces around and through them.
Some of them are quite small though.
Maybe a person's time would be as well spent raising food as raising money to buy food - Frank A. Clark.
User avatar
The Mouse
KG Regular
Posts: 702
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:47 am
Location: Northampton

It might be worth considering one of the red-leafed Cotinus:

Cotinus coggygria offers beautiful varieties, that will bring the benefits of purple foliage to the garden. 'Royal purple' produces dark red-purple leaves that turn scarlet in autumn. A bushy tree or shrub, it reaches a height and spread at maturity of approximately 5 metres. 'Grace' is a slightly bigger plant (approximately 6 metres when fully grown). It produces oval, purple leaves which turn a brilliant red in late autumn.

I think most people think of it as a bush, rather than a tree, but if you don't want it to have too much 'spread', I've found that it doesn't mind having branches chopped back in February. I do that to my own Cotinus every year, because my garden is quite narrow. I have the Royal Purple variety in my garden, and love it - it lookes good all summer, but is absolutely beautiful in autumn as the already red-coloured leaves change shade.

But I was just wondering, if the tree is wanted as a screen, why doesn't the friend want an evergreen? After all, those houses and factory will still be there over winter!
Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.
Mark Twain
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic