The Grange Association
100 Desirable Trees
to plant in the gardens of
The Grange, Edinburgh
for the Millenium (or later)
There are several admirable guides to garden trees.
The best may be The Garden Tree by Alan Mtchell and Allan
Coombes and Trees for your Garden by Roy
Lancaster. The snag is that, although these admirable experts know thoroughly
the ecological variations across Britain, they do not have the space to enter
the essential codicils for an East Coast Scottish gardener. There is a splendid
book entitled Modern Trees and written for a Scottish
audience. This is by E.H.M.Cox and P.A.Cox of Glendoick, and is written from
deep, personal knowledge but it appeared in 1961 and is long out of print. The
present booklet is addressed to the gardeners of the Grange, in Edinburgh, and
is based on trees growing in East Scotland, mainly in the Lothians and Borders.
Clearly no two people look at any tree with the same
eye. It seemed impossible to write dispassionately about favourite trees, so
this is avowedly, even defiantly, biased. The bias is against pink flowers,
purple foliage, almost all forms of variegation, species that have to be over
mollycoddled and trees that are interesting for one week of the year then disappear
into anonymity. The bias is towards species, rather than varieties or
cultivars, trees with a range of pleasures in bark, silhouette, flower, fruit
or leaf, and those with an interesting natural history.
The text does not attempt to be comprehensive about
the appearance or botany of the chosen trees since this information is readily
available elsewhere and no description can begin to substitute for the real
tree. Instead it concentrates on where you may see examples and why you might
wish to.
Despite the obvious hazards it did seem essential to
say something about the likely height and spread of each tree in our
conditions. For example, no‑one whose only encounter with a Ginkgo
biloba has been in southern France is likely to contemplate
such a tree for a small Edinburgh garden; in fact its growth with us is so slow
and the slow‑grown tree so satisfactory that it could be a most desirable
choice. I have adopted Roy Lancaster's classification of ultimate height which
is S=10‑20', M=20-50', L=over 50' and have augmented the statistic in the
text when it is crucial. But, to repeat my mantra, I hope no‑one is going
to commit themselves to a tree for life without seeing it full grown first and
within our climatic region.
Not many years ago, obtaining a tree which was not run‑of‑the‑mill
could become a nightmare. All that has changed with the arrival of The Plant
Finder. This entirely admirable annual publication from the Royal
Horticultural Society lists the unusual stock
available from virtually every nursery in Britain. Nurseries specialising in
'mail order' seem to have sorted out the packaging and delivery so that, in my
experience, the plants have arrived in good condition, expeditiously and at
very reasonable carriage charges, from Somerset, Forres and Cairdow. Clearly it
is preferable to buy on sight, but there is now a viable alternative.
All the trees mentioned can be seen by the public,
although a few are in gardens only opened once or twice a year, unless by
privately arranged visit. We are hugely fortunate in having the Royal Botanic
Garden (RBG) on our doorstep, and the wonders of Dawyck not far away, upstream
from Peebles.
I am most grateful to the following who offered sage
and forthright comments on the 100 trees that I first had in mind to include
and suggested a number of alternatives. Derek Beavis, Garden Supervisor at the
RBG; Geoff Brooks, formerly Superintendent of Grounds at the University of
Edinburgh; Mrs Robin Gaze; David Knott, Curator, Dawyck Botanic Garden; Peter
McGowan, Landscape Architect; Dr John Macleod; Reverend Jock Stein, Carberry
Tower. As ever Dr Gerald France and Dr Derek Lyddon were generous with their
help. My wife Barbara, with admirable patience, edited my slapdash approach to
the word processor, for which many thanks.
Clearly none of this could have happened if the trees
were not there for us to look at and enjoy. As ever, I feel a huge gratitude to
those who sought out and planted such a wealth of trees for us. Our
responsibility to leave a similar legacy for the next generations is plain -
and being fulfilled.
Alistair Scott September 1999
The
trees
Acer
capillipes Red snake-bark maple Japan 1894
S-M
Wonderful
bark, (white stripes on grey green) distinguished leaves, (glossy green,
parallel veins, red petioles) vivid autumn colours, neat shape. This must be
amongst the best garden trees, if you can give it a modicum of shelter.
Excellent tree in the RBG.
Acer
cappadocicum Cappadocian maple Caucasus to Japan 1838 M-L
The
Cappadocicum maple is reliably hardy and grows well in the Lothians, too well
for a small garden. At close quarters the grey 'smoothly-crinkled' bark and the
leaves with five regular long-pointed lobes are distinctive and distinguished
features. The tree comes into its own, though, in early autumn when the leaves
turn buttery yellow.
Acer
carpinifolium Hornbeam maple Japan 1879
S
I
know of only one Hornbeam maple in the Lothians but that tree, at Carberry, is
so handsome that it deserves a place. The leaves are the feature; hornbeam-like
as the name implies, fresh green, neatly toothed and with a score or more of
parallel veins. It may need training when young to bring it to the neat,
regular shape of the Carberry tree.
Acer
davidii PŽre David's maple China 1879
S-M
There
are two fine trees at Carberry, showing off the green bark slashed white. The
leaves are unlobed, largish and fine toothed. There are a number of named forms
of this variable maple, particularly 'Ernest Wilson' and 'George Forrest'.
There is a good example of the latter in the RBG, with dark green leaves on
rhubarb red petioles. This is one species which you really must see in leaf in
the nursery before you buy.
Acer
ginnala Amur maple Northern China, Mongolia 1860 S
The
Amur maple is not as often seen as it deserves to be. It tends to make a
thicket as it does in nature but can be trained to a single stem. The leaves
are small with a long, pointy, terminal lobe and deeply toothed. Together they
give the crown a light dancing feeling, wonderfully enriched as they colour in
autumn. Very hardy. The tallest in Britain is near Dunblane. A bonus is that
the flowers are fragrant.
Acer
grosseri var
hersii Hers's maple China 1927
S-M
Hers's
maple suffers a little under a confusion of names, often appearing as A.
grosseri or A.
hersii or
variations thereof. It is amongst the best of the snakebarks with a
well-behaved and characteristic shape. The leaves have a curious rubbery
texture. It is hardy in the Lothians, a good grower and not uncommon.
Acer
nikoense Nikko maple Japan 1881
S
If I
was confined to a single maple, this would be my choice. I have met it, with a
shock of pleasure on each occasion, at Castle Milk, Blair Drummond, Tyninghame
and Glendoick, where all are smallish, sturdy trees. The leaves are trifoliate;
pleasantly hairy and always interesting - yellowish in spring, red in autumn -
and, in summer, dark green on top but glaucous below. Apparently it should now
be called A. maximowiczianum.
Acer
pensylvanicum Moosewood Eastern North America 1755 S-M
Moosewood is often in the understorey of the woods of New
England below beech, birch and hemlock. The leaves are large so as to catch the
reduced light and very distinct, especially when they turn clear gold in
autumn. There is one at Suntrap but not many elsewhere. It must be sensible to
give this maple some dappled shade. The rigid rules of botanical nomenclature
require that once pensylvanicum - after William Penn - was misspelt, it had to stay misspelt.
Daft.
Acer
platanoides
'Drummondii' Of nursery
origin 1903
I
make an exception to my own prejudice against variegation for this splendid
tree. The books say that this cultivar will grow as large eventually as the
parent species, the Norway maple, but I have not seen one of that dimension and
do not want to, not least because the older trees have a tendency to revert. To
begin with, the margin of all the leaves is cream, but they fade to white as
the season progresses, "brightening" as Alan Mitchell wrote
"everything around". Deservedly and pleasantly common.
Acer
rufinerve Grey budded snake bark Japan 1879
S
This
cheerful small tree is not very different from A. capillipes in appearance except that the
leaves are broader than long, usually with distinct side lobes. The buds really
are blue or blue-grey. There are healthy trees within Edinburgh, at Dawyck and,
further afield, at Branklyn and Crathes.
Acer
saccharum Sugar maple Central and eastern North
America 1735 M-L
This is
the tree from which sugar maple is tapped. I include it on the strength of an
excellent tree at Kailzie (down the Tweed from Peebles), a number of others in
Perthshire and an astonishing specimen in Stornoway. The Kailzie tree has
always had growing space and is now substantial; roundheaded and overall like a
blue-chip Norway maple. It is unsuitable for the smaller garden.
Aesculus
flava Sweet or yellow buckeye Eastern USA 1764 M
A
garden has to be substantial before it can accomodate a free-growing Horse
chestnut. Such a tree is out of place if it has to be mutilated every few
years. So is there a chestnut which will fit the smaller garden? There is an
extravagantly healthy A. turbinata with huge leaves in deepest Moray which suggests this as
a possibility. There are a few examples of the elegant Indian chestnut A.indica around - Glendoick, Malleny -
but the tree with the best track record is A. flava. With us it is not an
overwhelming tree - cf Arniston, Kinfauns (outside Perth) or Dunkeld House. The
leaves are neat and well coloured, the bark is curious and the branches twist
about in an entertaining manner.
Ailanthus
altissima Tree of Heaven China 1751
My
first consciousness of Ailanthus was a huge tree in the grounds of Malvern Priory. To
northern eyes there seemed something wonderfully exotic about the large pinnate
leaves - not unlike those in the paintings of the Douanier Rousseau. Later I
grew one in Elgin, coppicing it every backend to get, next year, sprouts over
head high. Fortunately I have not seen it in the cities of the eastern USA
where, I gather, it roots around, vigorous and impervious as Japanese knotweed.
The trees scattered through Edinburgh are modest in size compared with those in
warmer summers. The interesting bark is better revealed by cleaning off the
lower branches in youth.
Alnus
glutimosa 'Imperialis' Cut-leafed alder Of nursery origin 1853 M
Perhaps
the Italian A. cordata is the most handsome alder but it grows far too large for the
average garden, as a visit to Smeaton - where two of the best in Britain grow -
will confirm. This most elegant version of the common native alder is
altogether better behaved for garden purposes. The leaves are deeply cut into
lobes which are drawn out into fine points. As with most cut-leafed trees, the
effect is to lighten the canopy.
Arbutus
menziesii Madrona Western North America 1827
M
Most
books are discouraging about growing the Madrona in Scotland, but ignore
them! Since the tree is an
understorey species in the Pacific north west, it is sensible to give it
shelter or frost protection in the early years but the fine mature trees at
Castle Menzies near Aberfeldy and Innes House near Elgin are fully exposed and
growing at least as well as the protected trees in the RBG and at Carberry. The
bark is astonishing. It is worth some perseverance in the hope of reaping such
a reward.
Arbutus
unedo Strawberry tree Europe Native in Ireland
Strawberry
trees are best seen in the Lothians at Tyninghame and at the entrance to
Dunglass House but a few are also tucked away in Edinburgh. Maybe there would
have been more had the Botanics' specimens not been savaged by frost in the mid
19th century leaving a collective memory about their long-term vulnerability. Our
trees are yellow-green by the luxuriant standards of Killarney where the tree
is native but we are so short of pleasant, well-tempered evergreens that this
is worth consideration.
Betula
albo-sinensis Chinese red bark birch China 1901
M
A well
grown red bark birch is a show-stopper. There are several in the RBG, at
Carberry and quite a few planted in local gardens in the last decade or so but
the best I know is at Branklyn, the immaculate National Trust garden on the
eastern outskirts of Perth. Unsurprisingly, given its origins in the mountains
of China, this birch is hardy, though it does tend to look sparsely clothed if
fully exposed to all the winds that blow. The bark is always red - if varying
from orangey red to coppery red - and peeling. It is nearly impossible not to
pat the trunk in passing. The variety septentrionalis has longer leaves.
Betula
ermanii Erman's birch North eastern Asia, Japan 1890 M-L
Erman's
birch grows over a vast area of South east Asia and is variable. The parallel
veins on the leaf and the numerous, upright, female catkins in winter are the
most constant features. But the tree should be grown for its bark - creamy
white, tinted pink, becoming orange brown. Erman's birch can be equated in
growth with our own birch so it is not for the smallest space. A fine tree in
the RBG is over 60 foot.
Betula
maximowicziana Monarch birch Japan c1890
M
I
promise myself sometime to find and read a biography of Carl Maximowicz. He was
a Russian botanist obviously very active in South east Asia at the end of the
19th century. It must have been quite a moment; the first westerner's sight of
a Monarch birch. The leaves are as big as lime leaves - glossy green and
elegantly toothed. It grows fast and ultimately may need more space than is
commonly available but it will have given perhaps 30 years of happiness before
then.
Betula
nigra Black or river birch Eastern USA 1736 S-M
This
small tree is obviously a birch but has, in comparison to home-grown birches, diamond-shaped
leaves and an unusual bark which becomes shaggy with age. Though most specimens
I enjoy are in the south of England, I include it because of a good tree in
Dundee Botanic Garden and because it is likely to be hardy, given its origins.
While it grows best by water it seems not to need other than a respectable
garden soil.
Betula
pendula Silver birch Europe M-L
Silver
birch needs no recommendation but there are two points to make. First do not be
fobbed off with the other native birch B. pubescens which looks fine by a burn in
Assynt, say, but is the less graceful tree in shape, bark and details of the
leaf. Second, since silver birch is so variable, how can one ensure obtaining
the most elegant? There is no easy answer. One possibility is to dig up
seedlings from road widenings through birchwoods with a high ratio of
attractive trees. The practice is technically illegal but since birch
regenerates by the million on bare soil in the presence of seed trees, common
sense indicates that a few seedlings will not be missed.
Betula
utilis var
jacquemontii 'Jermyns' Of nursery origin
Birches
are very variable in nature and get worse when taken into cultivation. If you
want a birch with a glowing white bark and a single stem, go and make your
choice from the spectacular collection in the RBG, and then approach a
specialist nursery. If that seems too complicated merely order a Betula
utilis var jacquemontii 'Jermyns' and you will not be
disappointed. These are propagated vegetatively and are thus genetically
identical.
Carya
cordiformis Bitternut Eastern North America 1689
I do
not think that most hickories will grow satisfactorily in Scotland, thus
depriving us of a very characterful genus. There is one exception however,
albeit based on a single tree and I do not know what difficulties it may have
had to overcome in its youth. This is the bitternut in the RBG on the right of
the path from the east gate to the pond just before the Chinese garden. It is
interesting at any time of the year - yellow buds in winter - but stunning when
the big pinnate leaves turn golden yellow in autumn. The nuts, like small
cheggies, are not difficult to germinate.
Cercidiphyllum
japonicum Katsura Himalayas to Japan 1864
M
Although
there are a few Judas trees around - the best at Tyninghame - they are too
miffy in our climate and are not worth growing. Fortunately the Katsura is a
happy, vigorous substitute and now pretty well known. Trees in the open can
have their first leaves frosted but (always?) recover. That apart, the Katsura has everything
- distinctive winter tracery, interesting leaves in spring, summer and
(spectacularly) autumn, pleasant bark and the arresting smell of burnt sugar as
the leaves fall. If you were confined to a single tree, especially in a dampish
situation, this might be it.
Chamaecyparis
lawsoniana 'Wisselii' Wissel's cypress Of nursery origin 1888 M
Used
with discretion and subtlety, Lawsons' many forms are an asset in almost any
garden, giving height, shape and colour. Too often, alas, they seem planted at
random. Almost invariably this odd and distinctive form is a pleasure. There
are good trees at Kailzie, Dawyck and unexpected places like Flotterstone.
Wissel's scarcely looks like a Lawson Cypress but check the conelets and the
taste.
Chamaecyparis
obtusa 'Crippsii' Hinoki cypress Of nursery origin 1901
Of
all the false-cypresses, I prefer C. obtusa; within the species, I greatly
enjoy this cultivar. It is a bright golden yellow, seen to perfection on a tree
centrally placed at Dawyck. As ever it is difficult to explain one's taste, but
I find something in the configuration of the Hinoki cypress, the lie of the
foliage, the curve of the branches and the interest of the bark which give it a
quality its cousins lack.
Cladrastis
lutea Yellow-wood South eastern USA 1812 M
This
is another recommendation based on a single tree in the RBG, so there is a risk
of failure but it is good fun to try. The tree is reliably pleasant in winter -
smooth grey bark on sinuous branches - while in summer the widely-spaced
leaflets have impressed veins. In autumn the leaves turn bright yellow. The
flowers - it belongs to the pea family - are small, white and fragrant. The
wood is yellow when freshly cut, which could be a bonus if one had to remove a
tree prematurely.
Cornus
controversa Table dogwood Japan, China pre 1800 S-M
The
table dogwood is an arresting tree in leaf or out. It does not here reach the
sizes of Sussex, say, or Cornwall which is a benefit because we can grow it in
smaller gardens without losing its essential character. There are excellent
examples at The Mill House, Temple, Carberry, Tyninghame and, further afield,
Etal in Northumberland. Unusually for a dogwood the flowers are not surrounded
by bracts. As the name implies the tree is distinctly layered, often with
daylight between the layers.
Cornus
kousa Japanese strawberry tree China, Korea, Japan 1907 S
This
can make a tree of 30 foot in Sussex and 20 foot in Glendoick so just about
qualifies for inclusion though it is more often seen in Edinburgh as an arching
shrub. The magisterial Bean declares that C. kousa should be in every garden. The
bark is redbrown and peeling; the leaves have that appearance characteristic of
all dogwoods;the small flowers are surrounded by showy, creamy, long-lasting
bracts; the strawberryesque fruit is fun and (just about) edible. If not in
every garden, it should be in more.
Cornus
mas Cornelian cherry Europe Romans?
S
I
cannot resist including the Cornelian cherry. It can just about be made into a
small tree if pruned when young, though perhaps bush is the better
configuration and 'thicket' would be a better term for the growth in the RBG.
Whatever the shape, the mass of small yellow flowers, just before the leaves,
is a most welcome sign that warmth is returning. It springs into flower
overnight. One day nothing; the next day everything. The fruit is good to look at and to eat - copious in some
years. This, for the Greeks, was the preferred source of walking staves - for
the long-lived Tiresias in particular.
Crataegus
tanacetifolia Tansy-leafed thorn Asia Minor 1789 S
There
are a number of thorns with cut-leafed foliage worth consideration. The more
common is C. laciniata syn. C. orientalis. I know two tansy-leafed thorns, one in the RBG and one
planted recently by the Friends of Malleny, and like them both. Apart from the
fretted foliage, the flowers are white and fragrant and the small, crab-like
fruit are a pleasant yellow. Roy Lancaster says they are "maddeningly slow
in growth and rarely offered by the nursery trade". Slowness, though, is
not such a defect in a small garden, if the small plant is nearly as enjoyable
as the mature tree.
Davidia
involucrata Dove Tree China 1903
M
As
the years pass I become less sure about the Dove Tree in Scotland. There are
several vigorous, youngish trees in the RBG but there appear to be few older
specimens around and the best mature tree, at Dalmeny, seems to be going back
although on a moist, fertile site as recommended. So this may be a relatively
short-lived tree with us and one (remember!) which does not flower for the
first decade. Nonetheless the Davidia has too much quality to be omitted. The
leaves are good, the bracts are astonishing and I particularly like the bark.
Diospyros
kaki Chinese persimmon or kaki Known only in cultivation S
The
tree experts at the RBG say not to bother with the kaki. They are right of
course in the sense that the tree needs substantial summer warmth before it
will make a tree even as big as a mature plum, let alone ripen the
orange-yellow fruit which are like flattened tomatoes. However the bark -
almost black and cut into little squares with rounded edges, like a superior pear
- is an aristocrat among barks and it is worth growing for this alone. It is
pleasant to be told that the generic name derives from dios = divine and pyros
= wheat.
Embothrium
coccineum Chilean fire bush Chile 1846
S
Everyone
in the Grange knows the Embothrium in Lauder Road. Year by year it has become more
pyrotechnic. Was 1999 the zenith? This tree - or tall bush if you prefer -
defies all the rules. It should be in shelter, particularly protected from cold
winds and the best result will be in the south and west of Britain, yet this
continues to prosper. However, anyone else attempting to grow perhaps the most
exotic-looking 'tree' in our repertoire would be well advised to stick by the
principle of shelter.
Euclyptus
pauciflora subsp
niphophila Snow gum Australia 1880 M
On
the whole Eucalypts are to be avoided in Edinburgh gardens. Either they grow
enormous in no time at all, or they are snuffed out by a sharp drop in
temperature. Some energetic gardeners keep E. gunnii more or less under control with
an annual or biennial trim. There is one Eucalypt however which is reliably
hardy - if it is drawn from the mountainous part of its range - and not too
overwhelmingly large. This is the Snow gum. Happily it is also one of the best
with a bark 'marbled like a python's skin'. There is a fine tree in the Pollock
Halls.
Eucryphia
x nymanensis 'Nymansay' Garden origin 1919 M
Given
space, an Eucryphia is invaluable for filling in the flowerless (in tree terms) month of
August. Nothing equals a 30' column covered from top to toe with big, white
flowers of the rose family. The deciduous E. glutinosa is a possible choice but this
evergreen is perhaps to be preferred. (E. glutinosa is one of the parents ). In the
books there is an interesting species named E. milliganii. It is described as having
"miniature white, cup-shaped flowers in July" and being "an
excellent miniature tree for the small sheltered garden" but I do not know
of an example in the Lothians.
Fagus
engleriana Chinese beech China 1911
M
I met
and fell in love with my first Chinese beech at Innes House in Moray. It is
manifestly a beech but small and multi-stemmed with very pleasant light green
leaves, tapering at both ends. The tallest in Britain - at Westonbirt - is 60'
tall. The trees at Dawyck and the RBG are half that size. It is a puzzle why
such an aristocrat among trees should be so uncommon.
Fagus
sylvatica
'Dawyck' Chance seedling
extensively propogated c1860
The
original Dawyck beech, transplanted to its present position in about 1860, is
now near enough 100' tall. This is too large for the average suburban garden
but could be an imaginative addition to the surrounds of flats or hotels or
offices, especially if planted in groups. The tree has everything a beech has -
silken, fresh green leaves in spring, wondrous autumn colour - while remaining
comfortably narrow.
Ginkgo
biloba Maidenhair China 1758
S
There
are more Ginkgos growing in the Lothians than many folk realise. The largest that
I know and perhaps the oldest is at Dalkeith Estate just before the Laundry
Bridge. I think of Ginkgos as desperately slow - one I grew in Elgin did not
get above waist height in a decade - but I know of two espaliered on an
Edinburgh south wall which must be vigorously pruned to keep them in check.
Anyway slowness is, in this case, an asset; everyone can have one of these
astonishing relicts beside the front path. Both sexes are needed for fruit but
the stinking 'plums' will not trouble anyone in Edinburgh unless global warming
gets serious.
Halesia
monticola Snowdrop Tree South eastern United States 1897 S-M
This
is included essentially on the strength of one tree near the western entrance
to the RBG, and a recommendation from the Coxes of Glendoick. (Branklyn has the
closely related H. carolina). Although the leaves are insipid, the bark is good -
dark grey and deeply fissured. The principal pleasure is, however, the
astonishing display of flowers - hence the American name of Mountain Silverbell.
The genus was named for the Reverend Stephen Hales (1677-1761), curate of
Teddington, near London.
Ilex
x altaclerensis
'Camellifolia' Highclere
holly Garden origin S -M
Plain,
ordinary holly seems to me an admirable plant in woodland - amongst the ancient
oaks in Dalkeith Estate for example - but I do not see it as justifying
critical garden space and I would banish all its variegated versions. I am fond
though of the plainer end of the Highclere hollies and especially this fairly
common variety with purple shoots, large, glossy, almost spineless leaves and
big red berries. If you need a tall, dense, well-shaped, hardy evergreen this
is tailor-made.
Juglans
ailantifolia Japanese walnut Japan 1860
M-L
If
you have space for a common walnut but want to try something a little
different, the Japanese walnut would be an interesting choice. Ultimately it
can make as large a tree - there is a whopper in Northumberland - and may
spread more. The leaves are huge, especially on young trees. There is a good
tree in the RBG and another at Biel. The somewhat similar American white walnut
grows happily at Tyninghame but the young tree in the RBG is a poor thing,
suggesting that it is too high a risk.
Juglans
regia Common walnut Originally Asia, Planted
throughout Europe M-L
With
its pale grey, smooth, platey bark, characteristic branch pattern and large
terminal leaflet, the walnut is distinct and distinctive despite coming into
leaf very late and falling early. Many of the Edinburgh trees are about 7'-8'
round and something like 150 years old. The biggest (?) is at Mortonhall House.
It is 10' round and a fine, healthy tree. Clearly walnuts need space.
Juniperus
communis 'Hibernica' Irish juniper Of nursery origin S
Juniper
is our third native conifer after Scots pine and yew. It is highly variable in
nature, as can be seen in Morrone National Nature Reserve, just west of
Braemar. Irish juniper is no more nor less than a selected form which grows
particularly narrow and upright, capable in time of 15'-20'. I can think of no
better foil to the doorway of a house than a pair or group of Irish junipers.
Kalopanax
pictus var maximowiczii
China, Manchuria, Korea,
Japan 1865 M
This
Kalopanax is rare in Scotland yet the trees at Dawyck, Stobo and the RBG are
entirely healthy and hardy. For good measure that is also true of trees at
Inverewe and Durris, Aberdeenshire. Opinions divide sharply. Some find it gaunt
and lumpy, with too sparse foliage; others, myself included, find it interestingly
exotic in bole, foliage, flower and silhouette. var maximowiczii is distinctly different from the
type, with larger leaves, much more deeply lobed. To my mind it is absolutely
preferable. The tree suffers the indignity of having acquired the book name of
Castor Aralia. In life, everyone calls it Kalopanax.
Laburnum
x watereri
'Vossii' Voss's
laburnum Cultivated
hybrid Before 1864
Laburnums
are like Hybrid tea roses - essential while in flower but inessential for the
rest of the year. Perhaps they are best in a friend's garden, especially if
grown thickly as a tunnel. The surge of pleasure at the first tunnel I ever
saw, at Bodnant in North Wales, is still with me. If your own Laburnum is a
must, plant this hybrid between L. alpinum and L. anagyroides. It is superior to either
parent.
Laurus
nobilis Bay tree Mediterranean Romans? S
There
is something well-tempered and aimiable about the sweet bay, or bay tree, or
bay laurel. Perhaps it is familiarity with the leaf in the kitchen, or some
recollection of its role in classical mythology, or that it is such a well
shaped tree-bush, or all of these things. It can be caught by frost in inland
areas but all the big bushes that I know in the Grange look fine. Nonetheless
it is a sensible precaution to give any Mediterranean plant a degree of shelter
in our climate.
Liquidamber
styraciflua Sweet gum Eastern USA 1681 S-M
I had
almost omitted the sweet gum because, to anyone familiar with the autumn
display on its home patch or further south in Britain, what happens with us is
so disappointing. But I cannot omit a tree with such splendid, star-shaped
leaves. There should be no worries about hardiness judging from the trees in
the RBG, or Carberry, or indeed at Innes House in Moray. I see that there are
two forms - 'Lane Roberts' and 'Worplesdon' - particularly proven for their
autumn colour, which may increase the chances.
Liriodendron
tulipifera Tulip tree Eastern North America c1650 S-M
The
tulip tree is one of that group of trees, including Ginkgo, Liquidamber and
Tree of Heaven, which will not grow in the Lothians to the dimensions which
would exclude them as garden trees - thus, an apparent disadvantage becomes an
asset, and we can take pleasure in the striking foliage without worrying that
the tree will take over. They are fairly commonly to be encountered across the
Lothians. The books say always plant them from container stock and be
particularly careful not to damage them with spade, mower or the dreaded
strimmer.
Magnolia
denudata Yulan lily China, Japan 1789 S-M
The
only Yulan lily that I know outside Kew is the tree in the RBG, but if one will
grow why not another of perhaps the most beautiful flowering trees in these
islands. You will have to learn the needs of Magnolias and particularly what to
do about late spring frosts but the rewards will be commensurate. The Botanics
tree is seen against a background of evergreens which afford some wind shelter
and it is on a slope so that cold air can drain from it. The flowers are whiter
than white, lily-esque, fragrant and before the leaves. In a good year it
should become a site of compulsory pilgrimage for all MSPs.
Malus 'Golden Hornet' Of garden origin pre-1949
S
This
is a deservedly popular crab as much for the masses of roundish, bright yellow
fruit lasting well into the winter as for the flowers which are white flushed
pink and more than an inch across.
Malus
hupehensis Hupeh crab Japan, China 1900 S-M
We
have had some wonderful trees from Hupeh. I knew of a whimsical Hampshire owner
who devoted an entire grove of his estate to Hupeh trees. None is better than
this crab although it is undeservedly uncommon. Alan Mitchell reports that
Ernest Wilson thought it "the finest of all the flowering trees he sent
from China". The bark is interestingly flaky, but the tree's chief renown
lies in the big, white, fragrant flowers covering it from tip almost to toe.
The best tree I know is at Whittinghame Tower.
Malus 'John Downie' Of garden origin 1875 S-M
Of
the myriad (and confusing) flowering crabs available, John Downie is perhaps
the most popular and deservedly so. The May blossom is pink in bud opening into
smallish white petals with golden anthers. The fruit is, however, why you would
grow John Downie; profuse, egg-shaped, ripening yellow, orange, red, glistening
and delicious as crab apple jelly.
Malus
kansuensis Kansu crab China 1910
S
I
know nothing of this tree other than what I read in Bean's 'Trees and Shrubs
Hardy in the British Isles', and what I see of the tree in the RBG. It is tidy,
as many crabs are not. It has a splendid flaky bark and, so far as I can see,
no bad habits. I misread the label at first, thinking this a crab from Kansas
but, no, it is from Kansu province of China (and Hupeh and Szechwan). There are
various sources for it listed in the Plant Finder (that wonderful annual
publication from the RHS which has, or should have, opened the doors slammed
shut by your average Garden centre).
Malus
tschonoskii Pillar apple Japan 1897
S-M
The
pillar apple has been much used as a street tree in the last decade or so, for
which purpose it is well suited in shape (upright, narrow), toughness and
minimal fruit. These are the trees in, for example, Forrest Road. It was also
much used by Geoff Brooks round University properties in the same period. It is
a neat tree and the autumn colours are excellent. Perhaps, given that is now
such a feature outside the garden, its main function within is in a supporting
role.
Mespilus
germanica Medlar South-west Asia South-east Europe S
I do
not know that anyone in Edinburgh gets around to eating medlar even after it
has been exposed to frost or bletted in the approved manner, but the persistent
sepals at the base of the fruit are always interesting, the leaves are large,
wrinkled and dark green and the tree itself makes a characteristic, spreading,
blackish mound. There is a good tree at Carberry and others are occasionally
and pleasantly encountered around the city. Selected forms, 'Nottingham' for
example, are to be preferred to the type - larger fruit, larger leaves, larger
tree.
Metasequoia
glyptostroboides Dawn redwood China 1948
M
Dawn
redwoods need the warmth of southern Britain for fastest growth but, as I have
argued throughout, that is not necessarily an asset. I know some twenty Lothian
trees which, meanwhile, fit comfortably into their surroundings. They benefit
from side shelter, which may also help to hide the tree in winter when it tends
to look like a bundle of peasticks. One other caveat - some trees flute so
badly they look misshapen. I do not know how to judge whether a young tree will
turn into a fluter. Since they propogate easily from cuttings, perhaps the
answer is to grow ten and select
the best.
Morus
nigra Mulberry Western Asia c1500 S
Anyone
doubting the willingness of Black mulberry to grow in Scotland, should visit
the vigorous tree at Luffness or, for that matter, the tree near the bird cage
in the Cooper Park, Elgin. I know of three planted in Edinburgh in recent years
which, after a slow start, are beginning to motor. Fruit should not be expected
for twenty years but then is likely to be copious and delicious, as is the case
with the mulberry planted by the Queen Mother in the garden of Haddington
House.
Nothofagus
antarctica Antarctic beech Argentina, Chile 1830 S
A
tree which grows in sight of the Magellan Straits is likely to prove hardy in
Scotland, and so it is. The branching system is interesting - somewhat like Cotoneaster
horizontalis -
the leaves are tiny and crinkled (and deciduous), the bark is marked with bands
of conspicuous lenticels. Altogether this is a most desirable small tree. There
are examples in the RBG, at Biggar Park and Preston Hall, to say nothing of
Achamore, Crathes, Crarae et al.
Nothofagus
pumilio Lenga Argentina, Chile 1946
S
The
RBG has an excellent collection of Southern beeches - a highly enjoyable few
hours can be spent looking at them. Do include the semi-evergreen New Zealander
N. fusca in
the little-visited corner beyond the rock garden. My favourite by far is this
tree, the Lenga. It is not unlike N. antarctica in having small deciduous leaves
but with its own almost indefinable jizz. Amazingly, although the Lenga covers
great swathes of Argentina, it appears not to have been introduced to Britain
until 1946.
Parrotia
persica Persian ironwood Caucasus 1841 S
A
friend suggests the Persian ironwood is not really a tree - often true, but it
can (and should) be trained to a single trunk since the bark is as much to be
enjoyed as the autumn show. Its Caucasus origin nearly guarantees health and
hardiness. Parrotia, named incidentally after a M. Parrot, is a Wych hazel, producing
small bunches of red stamens on the late winter leafless shoots. Whether tree
or shrub, it is not uncommon.
Picea
omorika Serbian spruce Serbia 1889
M-L
If
most spruces are too big for the garden or uninteresting (or both), this is not
true of young Blue Colorado nor Brewer spruces. The latter at Dawyck, was the
there the first to be introduced in Britain. The best spruce for any urban
setting is this Serbian tree, the tall, narrow, often blue-green, columnar
form, so common and effective in continental, particularly German, gardens. In
its native limestone mountains, it may need less water at its root than other
spruces.
Pinus
bungeana Lacebark pine China 1846
S
The
rule of thumb says pines need less rainfall than spruces or silver firs so grow
better in east than west Scotland. Most outgrow the garden unless on a short
rotation. This neat (in our conditions) pine from north China proves the
exception. Its reputation is 'very hardy' but 'rather slow', so you may have to
wait for the conical tree to form but from the start its main feature, very
unusual in a pine, will be apparent - the bark, which Allan Coombes calls
"grey-green and creamy-white". The RBG's lacebark is in the conifer
section behind the west lodge.
Pinus
densiflora Japanese red pine Japan 1854
M
We
are fortunate. Without too much effort we can go and enjoy Scots pine - or
Scotch fir as Sir Walter Scott preferred to call it - in its proper setting at
Rannoch or Ballochbuie or Rothiemurchus or Affric or wherever. For this reason
I am disinclined to grow it in the garden unless for some particular
sentimental reason, but there is an alternative. This is the Japanese red pine.
It has the same red bark but will not reach the same dimensions. This is the
elegant, spreading pine in the centre of the new Chinese garden in the RBG.
Pinus
parviflora Japanese white pine Japan 1861
S-M
There
are various forms of this highly decorative pine, some capable of reaching 80',
most confining themselves to going out sideways with a final height of perhaps
30'. The needles are short, noticeably blue and white, in bundles of fives.
There is profuse coning from an early age. The overall effect is satisfyingly
Japanese.
Populus
lasiocarpa Chinese necklace poplar China 1900 M
One
would not normally think twice before banning all poplars from a small garden -
too big, too brittle, too greedy for water. Yet I am encouraged by the
entertaining trees at Dawyck, Carberry and the Hirsel to make an exception in
the case of the Chinese necklace poplar as a foliage tree where there is a
modicum of space - leaves as big as soup plates, gaunt branches, stout twigs.
Not a tree that you are going to pass without noticing. It is exceptional
amongst poplars in having male and female flowers on the same tree, though
usually so far out of reach as makes no odds.
Prunus
avium Gean Native
M-L
The
gean will go on growing bigger long after most other cherries have stopped, so
it must have space - though half of it can be over the pavement for the
pleasure of passers by. A big wild cherry - mazzard is an alternative name - in
full flower or in autumn beauty is unmissable. Some people prefer the double
version which flowers about a fortnight later when the leaves have unfurled. I
prefer the white cloud.
Prunus
maackii Manchurian bird cherry Manchuria, Korea 1910 M
As
befits a tree from Manchuria this cherry is particularly suitable in Scotand.
The biggest in Britain is down the bank of the remarkable Cluny House, near
Aberfeldy. It is grown principally for its shining, peeling, honey-coloured
young bark. The white fragrant flowers are in clustered racemes, not unlike our
own bird cherry, followed by tiny back berries which are exceeding bitter.
There is an oldish tree in the RBG but I have come across none elsewhere in the
Lothians - a situation which ought to be corrected. They grow readily from
seed, and fast. Maack was a Russian botanist.
Prunus
padus Bird cherry Native M
I
fell in love with bird cherry one brilliant May morning on the flood-plain of
the Spey below Ballindalloch. The air was infused with a delicious almond scent
from the white flower-tassels adorning every bright green bush. Moving bird
cherry to the garden goes counter to my rule of enjoying native trees in their
own habitat, but so be it. There is a var Watereri, with longer racemes but I think
of it as the coarser tree.
Prunus
sargentii Sargent's cherry Japan, Sakhalin, Korea 1890 S-M
This
cherry is to be seen throughout the Lothians as the earliest and best for
autumn colour, but also puts on a good spring show when pink flowers open with
bronze leaves. During the growing season, Sargent's cherry is identifiable
because of the way the leaves hang. To my eye these, and many other cherries,
look uncomfortable when they have been grafted onto a gean at circa 5'. Ground
level suits much better.
Prunus
serrula Tibetan cherry Western China 1908 S-M
This
splendid tree is now well known and widely planted. When we lived in Elgin I
grew one immediately outside the kitchen window so that we could enjoy the bark
all year long, and I recommend such a location. I was taught that tearing the
bark was bad practice but that patting and rubbing were desirable. The
glossiest, most mahogany bark is on younger trees.
Prunus
subhirtella 'Autumnalis' Winter cherry Japan pre1909
If
the Winter cherry had been found or invented only recently - it is thought to
have been a naturally occurring hybrid, extensively cultivated in numerous
forms - it would be the wonder of the gardening world. So we should perhaps
renew our admiration and respect for a tree which goes on throwing delicate
flowers, impervious to an Edinburgh winter.
Prunus
'Tai Haku' Great white cherry Cultivated M
Bias
comes strongly into play in choosing Japanese cherries. Since my bias is in
favour of large, single, white flowers opening among bronze foliage and held
where I can see them, 'Tai Haku' is top of my list. It is a wide-spreading tree
and dull when not in flower or autumn colour, so it may suffice to make an
annual pilgrimage to the RBG (south boundary) or elsewhere where this wonderful
tree has space to breathe.
Prunus
x yedoensis Yoshino cherry Cultivated in Japan 1902 S
I
associate Yoshino cherries with Carberry and Tyninghame where several grow in
perfect surroundings. Unlike those of so many cherries, their leaves strike me
as pleasant throughout the year, and are enhanced in season by smallish,
long-stalked, red to black, bitter-sweet fruit. The flowers come early, before
the leaf; small, numerous, blush-white and scented.
Pseudolarix
amabilis Golden larch China 1853
S
I
know of only two golden larch, both in the RBG. All the experts say it will be
slow and at risk to spring frost in its early years. The reward if successful
will be such as to justify a long struggle. I was encouraged to see Golden
larch offered by Ardkinglas Nursery and have set off on that track. The
unexpected bonus is that Golden larch turns out to be wonderfully attractive
while only one foot tall.
Pyrus
calleryana
'Chanticleer' Seedling
selected from the type S-M
I
take this tree on trust following the praise of the hugely well-informed Alan
Mitchell. This is what he says. "It has the following remarkable
combination of star points: it is robust in any soil; it bears masses of heads
of flowers before the leaves unfold; the leaf-buds expand bright silver-white;
the leaves are a soft green and through the summer some often turn yellow,
orange and red; autumn colours are bright yellow, orange and red". There
is a recently planted tree in the Grange cemetery.
Pyrus
communis Common pear Of garden origin S-M
A
visit to the pear collection in the RBG, especially in spring, suggests that
there are many more species from this benign genus which could usefully go into
wider cultivation. None however are superior, all-in-all, to the common pear
which is such an asset to the gardens of the Grange and elsewhere. Pears have
something of interest throughout the year, not least the dark grey bark,
cracked into small plates. If a pear tree has to be felled, do remember that
the wood is first-class for carving - fine-grained, smooth, reddish-orange.
Pyrus
nivalis Snow pear Austria, Hungary, Rumania,
Greece 19th century S
The
Latin and the English names celebrate not only the flowers but the young leaves
which are white and woolly like some dwarf willows. This elegant small tree
must soon come into wide recognition.
Quercus
pontica Armenian or Pontine oak Caucasus 1885 S
Most
oaks are far too big for the average garden. Encouraged by the example in the
RBG, I am tempted to see what might be done with a Daimyo oak, Quercus
dentata,
although it would be risky. But there should be no difficulty with the Armenian
oak, given its origins and the vigour of the tree-bushes at Dawyck and the RBG.
The leaves are the thing - huge, flat, bright green, with elegant parallel
veins ending in sharp teeth. In autumn they turn yellow-brown and fall with a
clatter.
Robinia
pseudoacacia Locust tree Eastern North America c1636 S-M
Alan
Mitchell was exceptionally dismissive of the Locust or False Acacia, describing
it as "graceless, rough and brittle; early into leaf and early to shed
without noticeable change of colour" etc. For once I think he was wrong,
particularly in the north where the tree does not become enormous and where
pinnate leaves are at a premium. Moreover the bark seems to me pleasantly
fissured and, later, gnarled. I know a score or so of satisfactory Robinias in
the Lothians, none better than the tree in the avenue at Yester. The old tree
in Ormiston village is, alas, going back. It flowered prodigiously in 1997.
Salix
alba
'Sericea' Silver willow Of garden origin S-M
The
silver willow, variously catalogued and labelled as 'Sericea' or 'Argentea' is a particularly silvery form
of the native white willow, itself more silvery-green than white. There are a
fair number in Edinburgh gardens and almost always a pleasure to meet. The
exceptions are in those years when willows become defoliated. There is an
additional pleasure in knowing that propagation via cuttings is particularly
easy.
Salix
daphnoides Violet willow Central and Eastern Europe 1829 S
If
left to its own devices the violet willow will make a neat, conical tree of
perhaps 30'. The leaves are long, thin, a cheerful dark-green on top and
glaucous below. The tree is worth growing for the leaves alone but an
additional pleasure is from the violet shoots covered with a blue-white bloom.
Hard pruning results in vigorous shoots closer to view and touch. It is quite
acceptable to rub the bloom with a finger.
Salix pentandra