Plant for autumn glory
Get splendid shades by combining the right trees and shrubs with a suntrap
THERE are those who would argue for autumn as the most beautiful season of the garden year, and really it is hard to beat. Still, many gardens are short-changed on autumn colour, or have none at all. Some gardens have plants that show autumn colour, but in many cases these are not expressly planted with autumn colour in mind, but amount to a welcome bonus.
For instance, many flowering cherry trees have good autumn colour, notably Prunus sargentii, which is one of the first to colour. Hornbeam, birch and beech also colour well, although rarely planted with that purpose in mind. On a larger scale, common ash often shows good colour for a brief period, especially if grown in a sheltered place.
Norway maple shows superb yellow colour on a large tree. Willow is good, too, though quick to go over. On a smaller scale, hydrangea, viburnum, magnolia, witch hazel and philadelphus, among other shrubs and garden trees, often show an array of oranges, yellow and goldes prior to leaf fall, although this would rarely be a consideration when choosing them. Although these trees and shrubs can provide a good measure of autumn colour, it is well worthwhile planning a few other autumn colour specialists to add to the show. These can be added at any stage of a garden’s development, even many years after the first plants were put in.
Quite young plants can make a significant difference in their early years, because they set off the colour of older plants. As few as o ne o r two autumn colour ‘specialists’ can be enough to light up the garden for a few weeks at this time of year. For instance, almost any kind of maple will brighten the garden, especially the Japanese maples and the snakebark maples. The larger red maple can be stunning in bright crimson.
The sweet gum, Liquidamber styraciflua, is not always brilliant but when it gets a good sunny year, it is superb in shades of yellow, red and purple, and this is more likely to occur on well-drained soil. Dry soil also suits stagshorn sumach which colours better on poor soil than it does on good fertile soil.
The Juneberry or amelanchier is an excellent autumn colour shrub or small tree. It flowers in spring and changes to lovely shades of red and yellow, lasting a long time in good weather. The Chinese spindle, Euonymus alatus, is a small tree or large bush that colours to beautiful shades of red, pink and yellow. It is hardly noticeable most of the year and it is really only grown for its superb autumn colour, which is produced on both acid and limy soils.
The best autumn colour is normally seen on acid soils.
On a large scale the tulip tree, Liriodendron tulipiferum, provides bright yellow colour with a greenish-lemon tinge often. Many dogwoods, both shrub-sized species and trees, are superb in autumn. For instance, the red-barked dogwood, Cornus alba, turns to rich shades of red and yellow and the lovely Chinese dogwood, Cornus kousa, carries crimson-flushed yellow leaves. Parrotia is a superb autumn colour tree, making quite a broad tree as it ages, with stainedglass quality autumn colour.
Much of the success of planting, specially for autumn colour, depends on how well the autumn colour trees and shrubs are located. If they are grouped together in the one area, the rest of the garden can appear dull by comparison. On the other hand, a grouping of several autumn colour plants, such as maples and stagshorn sumach against a backdrop of birches can b be stunning. Often a hint of brill liant red or yellow near more ordinary foliage – plain yellow or even green – can be very effective. For in instance, a beech hedge will show so some yellow and brown colour but a blazing red, yellow or orange Japanese maple nearby will set off the hedge to perfection.
If the evening sun, or morning sun, catches a plant, the effect of its colour can be greatly enhanced. This can happen by accident but it can be deliberately planned too, especially for plants such as maples, magnolias and cornus that are handsome year-round and worth a prominent spot
It is very effective to place some autumn colour trees or shrubs at the furthest point of the garden, where they will draw the observer.
Autumn foliage shades can also have their value doubled by reflecting in water, so if you have a pond event better!
It is worth looking at the garden on a nice sunny autumn day to assess the level of autumn colour and to plan for more if needed, and the planting season is just starting too.
It has been a good colour autumn for gardeners so far, and it is going to run a while yet.