Organic Gardening Tips and Methods Ornamental Trees (Section two) Successional Interest Plat that change character with the seasons give a garden “a nice tempo”, with careful choice and planning orchestrate their display as foliage, flowers, fruits berries, and pods, come and go against a permanent framework of branches and bark, by planting trees that flower successively such as a Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum) for spring, Catalpa bignonioids for summer, Eucryphia x nymansensis for early autumn, and Prunus subhirtella “Autumnalis” for winter, ongoing interest is maintained with the focal point altering as the seasons change, some trees provide interest all year round, either from their evergreen foliage, or from their fine shape. Deciduous trees offer the greatest scope to exploit seasonal changes, especially in spring, when many ornamental cherries (Prunus) are covered with pretty blossom, and in autumn, when many maples (Acer) have brilliantly coloured foliage, evergreen trees, on the other hand, provide a sense of continuity rather than change. Selecting and planting a mixture of deciduous and evergreen trees provides lasting interests in the garden that change’s with the seasons to create a major rather than a static effect. Spring and Summer In spring, emerging leaves and flower buds bring fresh life to the bare branches of deciduous trees, some, such as the Silver-leaved Sorbus aria “Lutescens” have particularly fine young foliage, as the trees come fully into leaf, they take on their characteristic outlines, while the canopies provide striking blocks of colour and texture as well as shade. In late spring and summer flowers, ranging in colour and form, from the trailing yellow chains of Laburnum to the upright cream or reddish-pink candles of Horse-chestnuts (Aesculus), add extra colour and interest as well as texture to lighten the dense effects of the massed leaves. Autumn and Winter When most herbaceous plants die-down in the autumn, the colour provide by the trees is particularly welcome, weather from leaves turning from green through shades of yellow, orange and red to brown, or from the specks of colour from fruits or berries, ornamental members of the Rosaceae, especially those from the genera Cotoneaster Crataegus, Malus, and Sorbus, include many species, cultivars and hybrids that have a “ pretty” display in autumn, in some cases, the fruits will remain on the tree right through the winter months. In winter, many trees stand out most effectively with little else in the garden to compete with them; their skeletons or silhouettes become most noticeable and create greater sculptural impact, the colour and texture provided by the coniferous and broad-leaved evergreens may be used to compliment and soften the architectural “hard-look” of nearby deciduous trees, while patterned textured or peeling bark adds an extra point of interest, a few conifers such as forms of Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), have foliage that takes on attractive russet overtones during winter. Short Example List of Tree Shapes 1. Spreading; ie, Prunus x yedoensis (Yoshino cherry) 2. Pyramidal; ie, Carpinus betulus “fastigiata” (Upright Common Hornbeam) 3. Conical; ie, Sequiadendron giganteum (Giant redwood) 4. Weeping; ie, Salix caprea “Kilmarnock” (Kilmarnock willow) 5. Round-Headed; ie, Malus magdeburgensis (Crab apple) 6. Arching; ie, Archontophoenix alexandrea (King palm) 7. Columnar; ie, Acer rubrum “columnar” (Red-maple) Trees for Small Gardens For small gardens, trees that do not reach more than 6m (20ft) in height are the most suitable, there may only be space for just one tree, so those that provide more than one season of interest are especially valuable, a Japanese crab apple (Malus floribunda), for example, produces masses of crimson buds, then pale-pink or white flowers, and finally small red or yellow fruits on arching-branches, a deciduous trees appearance when leafless is very important in a small garden, since the tree may be bare for six months each year, and visible from every window facing the garden, good choices include; Rhus typhina, Fig (Ficus carica), and Pyrus salicifolia, none has/have showy flowers, but all have a nice foliage and winter silhouettes with character, Heavily thorned or prickly trees such as Hawthorns (Crataegus) or Hollies (Ilex) may be unsuitable in a very small garden as they may restrict access on either side, while those such as Limes (Tilia) that drip sticky honey dew should not be sited where they will over-hang an area or sitting-out (such as a patio), if planning to under-plant, choose a light-foliaged, deep-rooted tree, such as Gleditsia or Robinia, because small plants seldom compete successfully with the shallow, greedy-roots of ornamental cherries (Prunus), for example. Trees for Avenues Primarily used in formal settings, avenues rely on the uniformity of trees and spacing for their grand effect, the longer and straighter the avenue, the more impact the statement of the trees and their shadows has on the landscape, trees should be sited so that they lead the eye to an impressive feature or focal point, large trees are often used on either side of a drive to line the route to the house, long-term, Forrest trees such as beeches (Fagus) and horse-chestnuts (Aesculus) are traditionally used for avenues, while strong shapes of conifers may be more striking in a contemporary designs, trees, such as White-beam (Sorbusaria), or the evergreen Chinese privet (Liqustrum lucidum) are particularly suitable for smaller gardens. Informal avenues may also be created, perhaps/maybe with young trees bent over each side to form an arch over a walkway; the spacing may be less rigid than for a formal avenue to avoid a regimented look. Training for Effect Trees may be pleached to create an elegant formality, the side branches are trained to meet in horizontal, parallel lines and other growth is cut back or interwoven to form a vertical screen, beeches, limes (Tilia), hornbeams (Carpinus), and planes (Platanus) are traditional trees for pleaching and in the fruit garden, espaliered apples and pears provide a variation of this technique. Pollarding involves regularly lopping back the entire-crown to short stumps that produce dense, thin branches and a single tight-ball of foliage; it achieves a formal, if artificial effect and is useful in urban areas where a natural crown would cast too much shade or impede traffic, some willows (Salix) are often pollarded or coppiced (cut back to ground level) for their colourful young shoots. Coppiced trees look appropriate in a naturalistic or informal setting such as a woodland garden or on the top banks of a pond. Trees for Screens and Sheltered-Belts Large scale tree planting can screen buildings and roads, deaden noise, and provide shelter from wind and frost, a single straight row of fast-growing Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra “Italica”) is often planted to screen eyesores but their great height and finger like shape tend to highlight what they are intended conceal, looser, wide stands of mixed deciduous and evergreen trees are usually more natural-looking and effective. Hedges are the most compact and densest form of screening and their size can be controlled. Trees en masse can filter wind, reducing potential damage more effectively than solid barriers, which often create wind swirl on the leeward-side. A shelter belt or group of trees can protect vulnerable plants from frost especially in spring. Trees in Containers Growing trees in large pots or tubs greatly extends their design potential, in roof, patio or courtyard gardens, a collection of containerized trees is the quickest way to create a well-established appearance, adding both height and structure to the design. Use trees in large pots or tubs to frame a doorway that is surrounded by hard paving or to flank wide steps, these positions are particularly good for topiary. Trees too tender to over winter outside may be grown in containers displayed outdoors in summer, then moved to a frost free place as cold weather approaches, annuals and other tender plants such as petunias, fuchsias, or trailing nasturtiums (Tropaeolum) may be included in the container for seasonal colour and interest, or ivy (Hedra), for permanent ground cover. Containerized trees are long-term features, so use containers that are durable and attractive, a wide range of sizes, styles and materials is/are available, make sure that the containers you choose are frost proof if they are to be permanent features in an area of the garden that is subject to frost. Note..... All Information Is Within The RHS Guidelines.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 21:56:15 +0000
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