Trees in parks and gardens 2011

[Paddy Tobin]

Mark,
Yes, the witch hazels do have a smell, particularly H. mollis 'Pallida' and Mary always brings some branches into the house to enjoy their scent.

Mary put up a set of photographs of a visit to the national collection of hamamelis in England on another site. I will put them up in the "Travel/Places to visit" forum.

Paddy

[Brian Ellis]

I must have missed this thread, strange as Hamamelis have been a bit of a pre-occupation in the last few days.  I have just bought H. x intermedia ‘Diane’  having wanted one for some time.  I have mentioned Pat Edwards' Open Day on the other thread and should say that Witch Hazel Nursery Sittingbourne Kent is open on Jan 23rd too.

[Juan Fornes]

   Paddy, I think Hamamelis wouldnīt do well here: they like fresh soils and enviroments, and better if soil is acid, hating dryness: and all those matters are totally opposite to mine.  Itīs really a pitty because itīs  really a very nice shrub (your first pic of Hamamelis mollis "Pallida" is specially beautifull, with that sorrounding. By the way , isnīt that "thing" at the left a coniferous...? , but the same happens with Forsythia, a shrub that I have seen here in very few places, and all were languishing, with few flowers and leaves later, nothing compared with those spectacular, superb, proudly challenging yellow branches I see in colder climates. So, your pictures have been most welcome. Wish pics could include scent!

[Paddy Tobin]

OK, Juan,

To the left of H. mollis 'Pallida' is Abies koreana, one of the few conifers in the garden.

Paddy

[johngennard]

Magnolia X Proctoriana (salicifolia x stellata) flowering in my garden today

[Paddy Tobin]

A wonderful early display, John.

Magnolia stellata is just into full bloom here and M. salicifolia is in flower in nearby Mount Congreve.

Paddy

[johngennard]

My stellatas are not yet out and salicifolia is just breaking as is Leonard Messel.

[Giles]

Magnolia zenii (flowers are frost resistant/frost proof; and fragrant)

[Giles]

Magnolia x loebneri 'Merrill'

[Paddy Tobin]

Giles,

A lovely shape to the flower of 'Merrill'.

Paddy

[David Nicholson]

Beautiful Giles. I wish I had the room but have to make do with one Magnolia stellata form in a pot.

[Giles]

David and Paddy,
Thankyou.
Why not plant the stellata out David?
They take pruning quite well, should it start to romp away.
I've even seen stellata grown as a hedge....and it looked quite nice  

[Paddy Tobin]

A few interesting trees from Mount Usher Gardens in Co. Wicklow yesterday.

Sorbus magalocarpa gave a very good display. I couldn't figure out what it was at all but I was rescued by finding a label - handy things, those labels. There were some fruit still on the tree and I took three home to attempt germinate them. In the first photograph, a general view, it is in the centre of the shot.

Parrotiopsis jacquemontiana - do the flowers ever look good on this tree? I have a small tree at home, about 10 years old, very slow growing and has never given a decent display. The petals on the flowers seem to get damaged very easily and quickly and it is only when there is a spell of mild and calm weather that they last at all. The tree in Mount Usher was a straggly old thing, a good size and must be quite an age but the flowers were, as with mine, miserable.

Stachyurus praecox - I hope my identification is correct - was a stunning display, a wonderful plant.

Finally, the opening foliage of Aesculus neglecta cv Erythroblasta, a wonderful colour.

Paddy

[Maggi Young]

In the plants wanted section Emma T has posted for info/sources on a Paulownia tormentosa white flowered form ....
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=7008.new#new

 I thought I'd flag up her post here to catch the eye of the tree-lovers! 

[Giles]

Several dry frost free weeks...
Magnolia amoena
Magnolia x kewensis 'Wada's Memory'
Magnolia x loebneri 'Leonard Messel'