Once again, Christina is hosting a Foliage Day over @ Creating my own garden of the Hesperides. This time I thought I would just show a few autumn tints because the evergreens/golds/silvers will be with us for the next month and for the rest of the winter. This photograph is of one of our Horse Chestnut trees and the shrubs below. These shrubs are all over 6ft tall, so that gives you some indication of how tall the Chestnut tree is. Starting at the right, the shrubs are the golden Philadelphus, a blue cedar, variegated laurel and a cotoneaster hedge.
The Acers put on a wonderful display each autumn, at the moment only 2 of the 3 are dressed in their autumn finery, Osakazuki and Sango kaku. Osakazuki is usually the last to show autumn colour, but this year it was the first.
The leaves start turning by showing almost fuchsia pink colouring which gradually changes to magenta before they fall.
Some leaves still hang onto a touch of green for as long as they can, while the others are flaunting their new autumn fashion.What a lovely colour.
Acer Sango kaku looks as if it is lit from within when backlit by the sun, it shows up so well against the dark green of the bay tree.
The leaves are so thin and delicate, here making such a lovely pattern, you wonder how they can survive in all the wind that comes whistling through the strip of woodland.
When the leaves eventually fall we are left with beautiful pink coloured stems that last all winter so it has an extra season of beauty, can you see them?
Usually the woodland strip is all looking very golden by this time but the oak and ash trees haven’t started turning colour yet. The Chestnut trees started losing their leaves a long time ago so the woodland floor is now very brown.
The bee and butterfly border by the drive now changes its colours totally due to all the Cornus alba sibirica Westonbirt that were planted to give us winter colour with their stems.
Like Acer Osakazuki, Westonbirt’s foliage turns from green to this wonderful magenta which deepens to burgundy. The leaves usually stay like this for about a month until they drop and make a beautiful carpet.
When the leaves have dropped we are then left with the fantastic lipstick red stems to brighten our winter days until they, in their turn have to be coppiced in March, a fantastic bush which looks good, but different, for all 4 seasons. What more could you ask?
If you have enjoyed this post about foliage, please go to Christina @ http:/myhesperidesgarden.wordpress.com/ to see all the wonderful foliage around the world.
Pauline, I love this post, your wonderful autumn foliage reminds me of all the winter colour that I miss here. Acer Sango kaku is fantastic acer, I used to use it often in clients gardens for all year round interest – I like it because as you say it changes from season to season. Thank you for joining in GBFD Christina
I think. in a way, Christina that we are lucky in having 4 distinct seasons. our gardens are always changing, never a dull moment, especially now the Acers and other shrubs & trees are performing at full blast.If people only have room for just one tree, I always reccomend Acer Sango kaku, such good value for your money.
beautiful colours Pauline, I love the composision of the second photo looking through the arch made by the trees with a crimson acer and varigated plant in the foreground and the yellow acer in the distance set off by the dark green tree behind, I am green with envy at all that yummy leafmold material, the photo of your drive shows a very rural location that your in, nice though winds can whip across the fields are you far from the sea? Frances
Yes, Frances, we have loads of leaf mould, but it soon gets used up on precious plants like my meconopsis!
We are at the edge of a village and yes the winds come across the fields from the north and east. We are sheltered by the strip of woodland on the south and west.Shelter belts were the first thing I planted when we moved here, I soon learnt that a nice view = a cold wind!
We are just 10 minutes by car from the sea and protected by a hill, frost usually rolls past, but not last winter!
Fantastic colours Pauline. Your Acers looks very similar to what we call our fire bush. This is obviously not its proper name. Do you know if they would be one in the same? Ours stays green as long as possible as well and finally turns to a deep red to show off its colours being the last bush in our front garden to drop its leaves.
Our Acers, Tim, are from the same family as your Canadian Maples. I’m afraid I would have to see a leaf to decide if your Fire bush was related or not, as the name doesn’t ring a bell, sorry, can’t help you there.
You have wonderful colours in the autumn / fall don’t you, with all your sugar maples , we were sorry to have been too early to see them when we were over there.
with foliage like that, who needs flowers?
Thanks Catmint, I agree! Such a shame it doesn’t last very long, we have to enjoy it while we can.
Dear Pauline, finally I got the time to read quietly your blog. I like a lot your garden and the way you talk about it. I think maples are a real show in every season but I don’t know why I can’t see them in my garden, except for one that I keep in a big pot and will be send in the upstairs terrace as soon as I have the floor done.
I am officially in love with your cornus Westonbirt hedge. And I enjoyed a lot the pic of what I think is the entrance gate of your house: so British! 🙂
Thank you so much Alberto, for your kind comments. Maples are certainly showstoppers whenever we see them, I’m sure yours will be very happy on your upstairs terrace.
Glad you like the cornus hedge – in just the few days since photographing it, the colour has deepened to burgundy and looks even better next to our very British entrance!!!
Your acers give a spectacular show in the fall…stunning! My acers are just now beginning to change. I hope to see a grand display once they are completely covered in those autumn leaves. Beautiful photos!
Thank you, Sage Butterfly, acers are so reliable aren’t they, giving us a fantastic end to the gardening year.
I love that row of cornuses, what a great idea, they must make a good backdrop during the summer and then steal the show, clever planting.
The Cornus forms the backdrop Janet, to the bee and butterfly border, setting off all the flowers beautifully. As well as being the centre of attention at the moment – it still is over the winter when, along with the trunks of the silver birches planted amongst it, the red stems shine out through all the winter months. As you may have guessed, I think its a really super plant !
Oooh, thanks for the photo of the Sango Kaku against the dark green of the bay. When I had to plant all my Japanese Maples that I used to keep on my terrace, I planted the Sango Kaku in front of my yew hedge (not that it is taller then my knees), hoping for just that effect. And I can see it from my kitchen window, another reason to (maybe) enjoy doing the dishes.
Sango kaku seems to be a favourite of everyone Deborah, and quite rightly so, it shows up so well against the bay, as yours will against your yew hedge when it gets a bit bigger. Just as well we gardeners are patient!