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Celebration Trees and Other Plants,
September - December and
Winter interest
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T
- Tree C - Climber
S
- Shrub
September
October
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 Acers
- Maples. T
 Almost
all varieties have autumn colorations, try; Acer
griseum - paper bark maple, Acer japonicum, full moon maple to 30ft
high and wide. The Japanese Maples, Acer palmatum, also
produce some good autumn colors, especially. A. palmatum "Osakazuki" which
turns a fiery scarlet, slow growing eventually to 12ft tall and 6ft wide.
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Autumn Blaze® Red Maple |
Sugar Maple |
Japanese Red Maple |
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Liquidambar styraciflua - Sweet Gum. T
 One of the best trees for autumn color, place in full
sun as a feature for best effect, against an evergreen background if at all
possible. The species grows very large to 80ft tall and 40ft wide, and is well
worth having if you have the space! There are several slower growing smaller
cultivars such as "Golden Treasure" or "Moonbeam"
both to 30ft high and 20ft wide.
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Malus
- crabapples. See April. T
Attractive colorful fruits, and frequently good leaf colors too.
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Vitis coignetiae - Crimson
glory vine. C
 A
large climbing vine and one of my favourite plants. The "Crimson
glory" bit comes in in autumn when the leaves turn. Very tropical and
exotic looking but perfectly hardy. Great big leaves up to 12" across. Good
over arbors and pergolas - as are other vines - as they produce leaves for
shade in summer and lose them in the winter when you need the light to get
through. Twiner.
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November
Little active growth, particularly after the first frosts,
Features that are most prominent at this time of year are evergreens, and plants
grown for their bark coloration. winter interest
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Viburnum bodnantense "Dawn". S
One of the small but very useful group of plants that
produce scented flowers in the depths (or nearly the depths) of winter. Bunches
of fragrant pink blooms on leafless stems. Grow near to a path that you are
likely to use frequently as otherwise you won't appreciate the scent at a time
of year when you're less inclined to go down a damp cold garden to smell it.
Height to 10ft by 6ft wide, but can be pruned to keep the scented flowers down
at nose level.
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December
Little active growth. Features that are most prominent at this time of year are evergreens, and plants
grown for their bark coloration. winter interest
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Ilex J.C. van tol - Holly. T/ S
 There are a great many varieties of holly available,
but unfortunately none of them do exactly what we require from a holly on their
own. i.e. have the traditional deep green spiky leaves and be reliably covered in bright red berries at Christmas.
Most hollies
are monoecious, a plant is either male or female but not both (unlike most
plants) and therefore you need at least two to get the berries. Of these two,
one will be male and so have no berries. J.C. van tol however is reliably
self-fertile and the closest to a perfect holly that we have, the draw-back - or
not depending on how you see it - is that the leaves are deep green, but smooth without the
traditional spikes. To 20ft tall by 12ft wide, like all hollies, fairly slow
growing.
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Winter interest.
Bark or evergreen foliage
Most prominent mainly from around November when
the leaves fall off until March when they start growing again.
 Acer capillipes - snake bark maple.
T
Deciduous tree grown for the winter color of the bark which is green with white
or pale marking that snake up the trunk and the branches. Red winter shoots
which add to the decorative effect. Suitable for most situations. Spreading
habit to 30ft by 20ft eventually.
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Acer
griseum - paper bark maple. T
Slow growing spreading tree with red-brown
to orange bark that flakes off in paper thin sheets giving an attractive shaggy
effect especially during the winter months. Bright autumn foliage color too.
Suitable for most situations. Spreading habit to 30ft by 20ft eventually.
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Birches - Betula spp.
Multi-stemmed birch, this
tree has been trained to
produce multiple trunks from the same point.
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 The
birches are admirable trees for small gardens, some types can grow tall
(eventually to 50ft or more), but they tend not to spread very far and have an
open canopy that gives a dappled shade, a lovely effect. They need an open sunny
situation. Leaves
turn gold in fall, flutter in the breeze as briskly as quaking aspen.
The native
silver birch Betula pendula is a popular choice, but the bark is rather
rough and splits with dark patches forming with age, go for named
cultivars such as "Dalicarlica" / "Laciniata" or
"tristis" if you can find them. I prefer the Himalayan
birch, Betula utilis "jacquemontii" (usually sold as Betula
jacquemontii) or the paper birch, Betula papyrifera. Both have a
smoother, brighter bark than the native species and are fairly easy to find. If
you have more space, birches can be planted as a triangular group of 3 about 3
feet apart. You tend to get a similar canopy as if a single tree was on its own,
but 3 times the trunks and bark which is the main feature. Zones
2 to 7
Heritage® Birch |
Paper Birch |
River Birch |
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Corylus avellana "contorta"
- corkscrew hazel. T
A variety of the native hazel tree with strongly twisted
shoots that are particularly effective in winter and frequently seen in flower
arrangements. To 20ft by 20ft.
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Ilex
aquifolium "Ferox argentea" - hedgehog holly. T/S
An unusual
variegated holly - green leaves edged with cream - that has spines on the
surface of the leaves as well as around the edges. Slow growing, colors best in
a sunny position. Eventually gets to 25ft high by 12ft wide, but easily trimmed
to less.
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Prunus serrula. T (sometimes
also called P. tibetica).
Deciduous tree with peeling mahogany colored
bark that extends along all branches and shines like it's just been polished.
Flowers in the spring as a bonus and the leaves turn yellow in autumn before
falling off. One of the best trees for winter bark color. Grows to 30ft high
and wide.
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