I don’t know if the leaves will still be on my Acers for Foliage Day on the 22nd of the month, so I thought that maybe I ought to photograph them for Friday’s Looking Good meme hosted by Gillian at Country Garden UK.
Acer Sango Kaku.
All summer the leaves are green, but gradually they change to a buttery yellow before they eventually fall.
A. Sango kaku
The evergreen Bay tree behind and the Rhododendron in front, set off the Axcer leaves beautifully. I must prune the Bay though to let more light get through to the Acer.
A. Sango Kaku.
As the days go by, the leaves get paler and paler.
Acer Osakazuki with A. Sango kaku.
A. Sango Kaku is in the woodland, but Acer Osakazuki is in the border in front of the woodland.
Acer Osakazuki.
This is the smallest of my three Acers, it seems to be growing wider more than taller.
A. Osakazuki.
The leaves are green all summer, then go a rather khaki colour once the green starts fading, before they end up this fantastic red/pink.
A. Osakazuki.
Being in the shade of the trees in the woodland, Acer Osakazuki takes quite a long time to fulfill it’s potential. Each morning I rush to the windows to see how the leaves are changing, I think this is it, the leaves can’t change any more, I just love the colour.
My tall Acer, which was in the garden when we arrived, and changes to an orange/red colour is always the last to change, it hasn’t reached it’s climax yet, hopefully by Foliage Day I will be able to show it, as long as the leaves haven’t all blown away in the meantime!
Many thanks to Gillian for hosting this Friday meme, do pay her a visit to see what else is looking good today.
Osakazuki really does shine out like a beacon doesn’t it. About half my leaves have dropped now, but I’ve planted some seeds!
It’s amazing isn’t it Jessica, fortunately ours is quite sheltered where it is, so I hope the leaves will last for a while longer.
They may take time to turn these gorgeous shades in autumn but the wait is worthwhile. I think it’s best to grow Acers in a woodland setting if you can. Your garden is looking beautiful right now.
It certainly is worth while Gillian, it just gets better each day. I feel that too much sun and they are liable to burn, so I must be careful when I prune the bay, so that I don’t let too much sun into the little woodland area.
What beautiful Japanese maples you have, Pauline. The A. ‘Sango Kaku’ has such lovely texture and the A. ‘Osakazuki’ has amazingly brilliant coloring. So glad you shared them with us!
Thanks Eliza, they certainly make the November garden very colourful! I’m hoping the leaves will last a while, but we are having gales at the moment!
I love the red leaves of acers in autumn, but am starting to appreciate the pale greens too – lovely that you have both to contrast so nicely with each other. Mine is just a memory now, reaching its peak early to mid- October.
I learnt from visiting Westonbirt Arboretum in the past that Acers need evergreens to set them off and I think this applies especially to the pale green/yellow ones. Our colours are developing later this year because it is still so warm! However we are having gales at the moment, so leaves are being ripped off the trees, but the Acers are fairly sheltered where they are, so I’m hoping they will last a while longer.
Your acers look wonderful. Great tips for siting them where you get to see them from inside the house, with shelter and using conifers as backdrops. It’s funny, I used Westonbirt as an object lesson too, it’s such an inspiring place for all manner of trees.
Thanks Kate. I love visiting Westonbirt, but it is rather a long way for us, the trees are wonderful, no matter what time of year we visit, I must try to visit in spring though, we nearly always go in the autumn! We are having such gales at the moment, with driving rain, leaves are falling all around, but the acers seem to be hanging onto their leaves so far, thank goodness.
What gorgeous acres, I can’t decide which leaves I prefer, the pale green or pinky red. How lucky you are to have them both.xxx
Thank you Dina, we think they are both gorgeous, and there’s still the orange one still to come! Thankfully the wind has died down a bit, so hopefully the leaves will last a bit longer.