Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: WimB on April 03, 2011, 07:00:03 AM
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I don't know very well where to put this question. Maggi, you can put in in another thread if it belongs somewhere else.
I'm going to start transforming a part of our meadow into a woodland and I'm wondering which trees (and shrubs) would be good to create shade there. It would be best if they don't compete to much with the plants I want to put underneath (Trillium/ Jeffersonia/Glaucidium/Jeffersonia/Adonis/Epimedium/...). Since I'm a newbie in the area of trees any and all advice would be welcome.
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Hi Wim,
I would suggest that you would be best to spend some money and buy some specimen trees, bare rooted often grow best in the long run over pot grown. Don't plant them too close,at least 5-10m apart, a few large special trees will be an added attraction and over time will give plenty of shade. No doubt there will be some suggestions for specific trees from others but avoid fast growing conifers, you will only regret it later. You have a long time to live yet.
Susan
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Wim i would use Acer japonicum in its variety and Betula utilis Jacquemontii and for more wow factor cercis canadensis.
One more thing do the ground prep now and plant late autumn early winter.
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Wim here are my favourite list of trees and some will need some cover. It depends on whether there are trees already. Non of these are big or fast growing and my advice is be patient and create something worthwhile
Acer griseum - this is my number 1 it has 365 days a year of pleasure
Acer palmatum atropurpureum superbum nice all year and amongst the very best autumn colour
Acer japonicum aureum or whatever it now called
Betula jaquemontii
Prunus serrula
Cornus controversa variegata aad or alternifolia variegata
Cornus kousa chinensis or one of the nice hybrids in this group I have Norman Hadden
Stewartia pseudocamellia
Styrax japonica
Eucryphia nymanensis nymansii
Magnolias I like denudata and there are one or 2 nice hybrids like Caerhays Surprise and Star Wars to name but 2
Sorbus depends on space I like cashmeriana, vilmorinii and Joseph Rock
Hope this helps
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I do not recommend to use many birches - they suck away a moisture from soil - at least Betula verrucosa (В pendula) and B. pubescens. Under them do not like growth forest plants - at them a dry shade.
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One more thing do the ground prep now and plant late autumn early winter.
this! unless you want to spend the whole summer watering, all my tree planting is done late Oct/Early Nov.
few other suggestions for small trees that wont create too much leaf litter + have spring/autumn colour.
Malus, Red Sentinel & Crittenden.
Malus Transitoria
Amelanchier lamarckii
Crataegus p. splendens
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While late fall/early winter is an excellent time to plant many woody species---early spring is a good time for many.
Magnolia, for instance, especially the evergreen sorts are often best spring planted.
The snow has just disappeared at my end of the world, and I have, in fact, been busy planting woody species.
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I would add Sorbus to the above suggestions. They colour superbly here, have good crops of flowers and fruit, even if the birds do take them after a while. I bought one just yesterday, looking a bit like S. sargeantiana but without the sticky buds. It was labelled simply Sorbus species, Ghose, whom I take to be the Indian gentleman who has so any plant connections within that country.
You will notice Wim that almost all of the above names are of deciduous trees. In other words, avoid conifers altogether if you want to plant under them. The eucryphias are evergreen, but slim and elegant and very choice.
If trees colour well in your area, add Acer rubrum in various cultivar forms. 'October Glory' is outstanding for autumn colour.
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I recommend Multi-Season Shrubs and Trees by Richard Gorer,
published in 1971 by Faber and Faber.
He doesn't consider only flowers and fruit, but also coloured new leaves, colourful autumn leaves, ornamental new wood, and bark. A few of his selections have rarer qualities like secondary flowering
in autumn or brightly coloured thorns.
He starts with Acer and goes through the alphabet to Viburnum.
He also has a tabulated list, and a quick glance through shows that Sorbus
lanata has all of the above major attributes except for coloured bark.
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Thank you all. I think I can get started now. I'll keep you informed of the progress.
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I recommend Multi-Season Shrubs and Trees by Richard Gorer,
published in 1971 by Faber and Faber.
A book I never heard of, Diane ( to my shame but I will search it out.
Thanks for the info. :)
Edit, a short time later..... found book on Ebay and it is ordered.
There are others available here: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MULTI-SEASON-SHRUBS-%26-TREES-by-RICHARD-GORER_W0QQitemZ150333475547QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=222924056229&rvr_id=222924056229&cguid=65545e9012d0a47a04577827feda1fb3
and here http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Multiseason-Shrubs-and-Trees,-Richard-Gorer,-Very-Good-_W0QQitemZ120694766254QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=222918585957&rvr_id=222918585957&cguid=65545e9012d0a47a04577827feda1fb3
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To some extent it has to do with how large you want them to be in the long run.
They will become too large surprisingly quickly.
My situation is different since many trees you can grow will die here but...
I agree with the warning against larger betulas.
Corylus avellana is quite good. Woodlanders like Hepatica like the situation beneath.
Cercidiphyllum is quite good here. So are Hamamelis and magnolias.
Göte
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Interesting that you mention Corylus - as I had wondered if coppicing would be an option.
It would give a lot of flexibility as to pattern and depth of shade, and could easily be used in a smaller space.
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ah you see you lot are gardeners first ;D
I'll agree with any of the Japanese Acers - I love em but then I'd plant Birch, Holly and either Rowan or an Apple or two and sit back with my camera and wit for the wildlife to come in 8)
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Interesting that you mention Corylus - as I had wondered if coppicing would be an option.
It would give a lot of flexibility as to pattern and depth of shade, and could easily be used in a smaller space.
That is what I see as advantages but also that the shade will not be very deep. Disadvantage is of course that leaf colour cannot match maples and flowers not magnolias. However the young flowers are a discreet harbinger of spring.
Göte
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ah you see you lot are gardeners first ;D
I'll agree with any of the Japanese Acers - I love em but then I'd plant Birch, Holly and either Rowan or an Apple or two and sit back with my camera and wit for the wildlife to come in 8)
To plant pines is to invite wind. (Chinese proverb). To plant Corylus is to invite squirrels.
Göte ;)
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All the above suggestions are great. One thing about Cercidiphyllum japonicum that I love is the autumn scent. At work we have a small grove of them and it is amazing. Also two North American natives worthy of consideration would be Halesia spp. or Cladrastis kentukea/lutea.
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Adding my pennyworth - snake bark maples - Acer capillipes, Acer grosseri var. hersii, Acer pennsylvanicum, Acer davidii etc. They are not too big, are very graceful and open in growth, have beautiful leaves, great autumn colour and wonderful year-round bark, stripy trunks and sometimes coloured young bark.
If it were me, I'd be tempted not to plant too many varieties in a small space (unless you're a collector), but go for one type of tree - all crab apples, all snakebarks, all Sorbus, all Monkey Puzzles (joking - but imagine that).
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And the quince is a beautiful tree. I mean the proper quince that is made into jellies and pastes. The tree has a lovely wide Japanese drawing shape and the flowers are large and fragrant, like those of apple but better. Good autumn colour too (gold).
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What about Cercis species? They have glorious spring flowers, lovely round leaves and excellent autumn colour. Then you've got varieties like 'Forest Pansy' with their beautiful dark purple leaves as well?
I'd even think about some of the purple leaf Birch, although they are more water using and therefore might compete? Then again, they'll keep the bulbs etc nice and dry through summer by taking up all the extra water while they're in growth? The summer shade is lighter as well, so allows for more possibilities for underplanting for summer colour etc?
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tetracentron is a great tree.some of the aralia's make great strange trees aswell..
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Wim - If wind is an issue in the early stages of your new woodland garden Nothofagus antarctica is our first line of defence. Splendid bark and tiny fragrant leaves that create virtually no litter atop your perennial woodlanders. It can take sopping wet as well.
johnw
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Shaun,
We find that aralias are terrible for suckering here and become a terrible nuisance; removing the suckers disturbs small bulbs, plants etc.
Paddy
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Wim - If wind is an issue in the early stages of your new woodland garden Nothofagus antarctica is our first line of defence. Splendid bark and tiny fragrant leaves that create virtually no litter atop your perennial woodlanders. It can take sopping wet as well.
johnw
And is a really pretty tree in the autumn. Mine goes yellow/orange, with a little scarlet thrown in, before the leaves drop.