Hi

 

On the the whole its been a beautiful September. Its been so warm that I have even  been in shorts full time now. I have to admit that it's even got a little bit hot and it has got me thinking to about suitable trees for shade especially after lasts weeks effort on weeping trees. Now there is one tree that springs to mind that has the perfect umbrella shape and that is the silk tree (Albizzia julibrissin), now it's quite a quick grower and gets a tad bigger than most realize.  But it has that shape!!!

 

It's difficult to think of shade trees suitable for patios as they are trees but there are some flowering cherries and maples that are smaller and suitable.
Now Prunus shimidsu sakura and shirotae Mt Fuji both have that umbrella type form in that they are quite spreading and will make for quite handsome smaller growing shade trees maturing at approx five by five metres.  Remember though that they don't just stop growing and my specimen of twenty years would be approx this size now.
If you're wondering what the single pink cherry that is full bloom now I bet that it will be Awanui and it's just gorgeous. Accolade, Mt Fuji and Tai haku are still yet to flower.

Now the flowering cherries are grafted and can be what we called in the trade, high worked on tall root stocks which mean that they appear or can be bought as tree like from day one. They already have a clear trunk to 1.75 metres though they can be at 1.5 or even 1.2 which will suit different landscape or garden situations.
You also can get low worked flowering cherries meaning they are grafted low or just above ground level.  These ones may be branched from very low and it's up to you to create the trunk and to what ever height suits the situation by removing the lower branches against the stem. Nurserymen call this limbing up or lifting.

 Maybe, at this point, I should mention that any named or selected form of tree has to be grafted or otherwise it's just seedling grown and may not have the desirable characteristics of the named clones.

 

Now there are some pretty nice maples (Acers) which make for attractive specimen trees and they on the whole tend to be vase shaped and also make for good shade trees for the smaller garden. Maples all tend to be grafted low so it's up to you to create that perfect shade tree. Senkaki has amazing red stems. Shindeshojos has stunning shrimp pink foliage and awesome autumn tones.  Seiryu has the finest green foliage but needs a sheltered spot to protect those leaves from wind.

Gleditsias or the honey locusts also make great shade trees as they have little leaves and their effect is very lacey and make for perfect shading. There is a big plus to those little leaves in that they kinda dissolve when they fall in the Autumn.  Now while they can get a bit of size they also can be trimmed to keep them in check but don't plant them too close to paved areas. Ruby lace has burgundy foliage and seems to me in that its one of the smaller growing of this group. Sunburst as its name will suggest has lime yellow foliage.

Crab apples generally make for smaller trees but not only do they have spring blossom but they have the coloured fruit in the autumn as well. Crab apples can be pruned to keep to size but tend to be more rounded trees though there are a few cascading varieties that ciould be shaped toan umbrella like form.

 

 

Whats going on

These garden related events are all coming up so mark your calenders and contact the organisers re tickets etc

Clivia Shows  If you are into clivias then check out today the clivia show in Manurewa. You are bound to see some pretty awesome example of these fantastic plants that are so at home in dry shade

Saturday 1st October      9am to 4pm      Auckland Botanic Gardens, Hill Rd, Manurewa.
Sunday 9 October                   1 - 4pm           Plantstruck Nursery, 139 Te Puna Rd, Te Puna.

Sunday 6 November               9am - 4pm     "A Dio Day Out: 

                                                                       Garden and Arts    Contact diodayout@gmail.com

Friday 11 November               9.30 - 3.30pm     The Fine Homes Tour 2011

                                                                         www.finehomestour.co.nz

 

Gotta say that I am looking forward to a good rain to wet the ground and to water the plants in the nursery. Nothing like the real thing to water the plants properly. Take care and have a great weekend

 

Cheers,

Lloyd and Harry

Make it a Wairere weekend where gardenings not a drag!!!!!