Nature’s fireworks
ground like helicopter blades. Maple autumnal hues can be as soft as apricot and honey or, as is the case with ‘Osakazuki’, a fiery scarlet. This is a small to medium tree but it’s quite fast growing so make sure when you position it that it has enough room to grow.
Often confused for a maple due to its very similar shaped leaves, the sweet gum, Liquidambar styraciflua, produces the most spectacular fall colour – a dazzling mixture of burgundy, purple, pink and red. It’s a majestic tree for a large garden and is best grown on moisture retentive soil in the sun for autumn colours.
There is a compact variety for the smaller plot called ‘Gumball’ which has a lollipop shaped crown – not as elegant as the standard variety but it gives an equally good autumn display. Favourite in my plot at the moment is the golden rain tree, Koelreuteria paniculata. This is a medium-sized deciduous tree with golden yellow and orange foliage in autumn. In summer the flowers are followed by interesting lantern-like fruits. It is blessed with an elegant shape and is a suitable tree for a medium-sized garden. Include deciduous shrubs in your hedges and shrubbery that will light up at this time of year. Top mention here goes to Euonymus alatus – the winged spindle tree – which goes a rich crimson pink in November. The fruits are also notable – they are deep red which split open to reveal bright orange seeds.
Where space is at a premium, try ‘Compactus’ which is a smaller variety.
Some of the most eye-catching displays come from climbers, notably Virginia creeper or Parthenocissus quinquefolia and Boston ivy, whose scarlet leaves transform buildings and walls at this time of year. Grape vines such as Vitis coignetiae have wonderful large heart-shaped leaves which need plenty of space. However, all these climbers are good choices for north-facing walls as they grow there happily.
Autumn colour can come in unexpected places, for example the way the leaves of some hardy geraniums turn crimson, and euphorbias turn yellow. So make sure to wrap up, go out and enjoy the vivid colours in gardens and parks before the winter winds come and blow it all away.
Some of the most eye-catching displays come from climbers