I’m sure that we all have plants in our gardens that stand out, for a while they are so beautiful that flowers around them get ignored. The plant that catches my eye every time I wander in the garden at the moment is a small tree, Amelanchier lamarckii.
Amelanchier lamarckii
Some years it doesn’t flower, I think due to the Bullfinches eating all the flower buds.
That’s why the flowers are so precious when they do appear.
Even though there aren’t that many of them at any one time
I’ve seen other trees absolutely smothered in flowers. There are 6 at the Oncology Centre in Exeter, so many flowers you can’t see any leaves and they are pruned to a very round shape, I prefer mine!
The flowers turn into black berries in the summer and are then enjoyed by the birds.
When the leaves are backlit by the sun, they are breathtakingly beautiful!
The leaves turn green for the summer and then orange/red in the autumn.
It really is a tree for all 4 seasons, it’s winter silhouette is still beautiful to look at and a good place for the birds to safely roost amongst the twiggy branches.
By now you will have guessed that I am rather fond of this little tree. It is good for wildlife, even though they do eat the flower buds, and good for me as it makes that area of the garden look rather pretty at various times of the year.What is your plant of the moment, I would love to hear about it?
My Amelanchier is certainly a star at the moment, a mound of white foam with pink undertones. Yes, the bullfinches love it and the blackbirds and pigeons eat all the berries before they are ripen. Aren’t they supposed to be edible?
Lucky you Rachel, having loads of blossom! Yes, the berries are edible, but the birds don’t give me a chance, they always get there first!
Such a beautiful tree Pauline which looks just at home whether it’s planted in a supermarket car park or in a country estate. I didn’t know that bullfinches were partial to having a nibble but they are rare visitors here these days.
I had hoped when the bullfinches started coming to the feeders Anna, that they would leave the buds of my trees alone, but no, unfortunately not. They do look lovely wherever they are planted and I think I chose just the right spot for mine when it catches the sunlight.
I’ve some friends in Canada who call it the Saskatoon tree. They eat the fruit or preserve it in alcohol for the winter. Apparently makes lovely apple and berry pies. If you can get there before the blackbirds.
How wonderful Karen, to be able to do something with the fruit, I like the sound of preserving them in alcohol, ours usually disappear in the summer!
It is lovely Pauline. One day I would like one in my gardeb!
Thanks Cathy, I can certainly recommend one, a really good small tree for the whole year.
One of my favourite shrubs too Pauline. I have Amelanchier hedges in the garden but we have never noticed problems with bullfinches. However, I will now keep a close eye on them!
Your Amelanchier hedge sounds wonderful Denise, I’ve never seen any grown that way. Bullfinches used to strip Forsythia bushes of every bud, so eventually I got rid of the couple that were in the garden, I’m not getting rid of my Amelanchier though!
what a gorgeous tree, if it was in my garden I think it might be my favourite too. The flowers remind me of clematis flowers. I agree, I don’t think it would as beautiful if it were smothered in flowers. The way they are spaced gives a very delicate feel.
The flowers are a lot smaller than clematis flowers Catmint, but I know what you mean. I like being able to see the leaves as well as the flowers, as you say, giving a very delicate appearance.
What a gem, I can see why you love it so. You have certainly sold it to me, I must look out for one.xxx
It is a lovely little tree Dina and I’m sure your garden would love to have one!
I agree that this is a very fine tree for year round interest, yours appears to have a lovely rounded form. What a jolly good point about positioning trees with these sort of translucent new leaves to be backlit, a trick that also works with cercidiphyllum japonicum at the same time of year.
I have to admit Kate that it was pure luck that made me plant my tree where I did, I wasn’t thinking of the leaves being backlit at the time. As the tree has grown, I’ve realised that it is the perfect place!
A very fine tree and one I have never had the pleasure of growing. Hopefully you get the pleasure of observing the naughty bullfinches as they devour the buds ? A compensation at least!
Not really, they eat the buds while I’m not looking! I wouldn’t mind so much, but they come to the feeders too and eat all the goodies that I provide for them!
I love all Amelanchiers, though mine are A x grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance’. Only problem is around here the rabbits will gnaw the bark until the young trees are girdled.
How annoying about the rabbits. There was a time when I was making the garden here that everything was chewed by rabbits, I think they looked at the price tag and ate the most expensive plants! A neighbour moved in with a cat which killed all the babies and the parents decided to move, no problem any more!