There are at the very least 100 species of maple within the Acer household, with scores from Asia and a dozen from North America. Nevertheless, Britain has just one native, Acer campestre.
But it surely’s a stunning tree with a superb golden-yellow autumn color. To my thoughts, together with the crab apple, it makes the best small backyard tree and can take any quantity of trimming and shaping.
There are just a few ‘backyard’ varieties: ‘Postelense’ has pale yellow leaves when younger, which flip greener as summer time progresses, and ‘Schwerinii’ is a purple-leafed model that may very well be helpful in a big border because it’s comfy with being reduce.
The sycamore, A. pseudoplatanus, is a part of the maple household and is commonly regarded as a local however was in reality launched to the UK from the Pyrenees within the center ages. Sycamore is thought to be a weed on the town gardens, shading out all the things beneath it and producing seedlings by the thousand.
There are at the very least 100 species of maple within the Acer household however just one is native to Britain, Acer Capestre. Monty Don loves its golden-yellow autumn color and says it is ultimate for gardens
However in giant gardens or open nation, it may be a powerful tree, impervious to winds or salt spray – so particularly good close to the coast. ‘Brilliantissimum’ by no means reaches something just like the towering dimension of the dad or mum plant, however does develop leaves that begin out shrimp-pink earlier than changing into inexperienced by way of a yellowy part.
Maples have all the time been treasured in Japanese gardens and particularly A. palmatum – of which there are actually tons of of cultivars. They’re all grown for his or her deeply minimize leaves, elegant shapes and the depth of their autumn colors.
They don’t like being buffeted by wind and do finest in free-draining, barely acidic soils. The shallow roots dry out simply and so want mulching and common watering in very dry climate, and so they’re happiest in gentle shade.
The color ranges from crimson, just like the ‘Osakazuki’, by means of bronze and all the same old shades of inexperienced, and the leaf shapes embody the deeply minimize leaves of the dissectum group, in addition to Japanese maples with larger, extra sometimes maple-like leaves.
MONTY’S JOB OF THE WEEK
It’s time to have a look and deal with your terracotta pots as some aren’t as weather-proof as others
Some terracotta pots are extra weather-proof than others, however any that may be lifted and saved indoors must be taken in for defense. These which might be too huge or have crops in them must be raised up off the bottom to enhance drainage.
Which means the compost is not going to be too moist and, ought to there be a tough frost, will develop much less and subsequently be much less more likely to crack the pot. Any which might be particularly valuable or delicate may be wrapped in hessian or bubblewrap to insulate them in opposition to freezing.
My favorite japanese maple is A. griseum, the paperbark maple launched from China. The greybacked leaves flip orange in autumn, nevertheless it’s the bark that’s the actual attraction because it peels into translucent curls and ringlets to disclose a cinnamon-coloured underlayer.
Whereas Japanese maples are all small, most of the American maples make for big timber. The sugar maple, A. saccharum, is famed for its explosion of color in autumn, however it’s uncommon that the UK can present the mandatory mixture of highly regarded August days and really cool nights.
The crimson maple, A. rubrum, wants an acidic soil to thrive. Native Individuals used their maples for a lot of medicinal and edible functions, accumulating the sap to make candy syrup, and the syrup is, apparently, of a really prime quality.
The seeds had been additionally gathered, boiled and eaten scorching and the bark was used to deal with sore eyes.
Maples shouldn’t want a lot pruning, though once they’re younger they typically produce some very vigorous shoots that must be pruned again to cease the tree changing into lopsided. A. palmatum ‘Dissectum’ typically produces lifeless wooden, which may be alarming nevertheless it ought to merely be pruned again.
One of the best time for pruning of any maples is now, in autumn.
ASK MONTY…
Q My plum timber fruited properly this yr, however solely on the decrease branches. Why is that this?
Marie Jewkes, Warwickshire
A I think that the highest of the tree was uncovered to frost at blossom time, whereas the decrease branches had been extra protected. The frost would have destroyed the flowers, therefore no plums.
A We’ve tried some ways to kill horsetail however nothing has labored. Please are you able to advise?
Jack McFadden, Derry
Q The horsetail weed is the bane of many a gardener’s life and nothing will do away with it aside from good drainage. The roots attain 2.5m or extra so weedkiller has no impact. One of the best resolution is to chop it again continuously (ideally now).
Herbaceous peonies may be moved however by no means prefer it and sometimes present their displeasure
A I’ve grown peonies for years. 4 years in the past I moved home and now backyard on heavy clay. I put in two peony crops three years in the past and so they flowered – till this yr. What’s unsuitable?
Susan Osborn, Cheshire
Q Herbaceous peonies may be moved however by no means prefer it and sometimes present their displeasure by not flowering for just a few years. On this case, I counsel endurance for an additional yr or two. Don’t despair – they need to flower once more in time. They do additionally want sunshine to flower properly.
