by James Alexander-Sinclair
I thought it might be a mildly entertaining diversion to write about the moment just before blooming [...] Trees in bud.
Adam Pasco, the handsome and multi-talented editor of Gardeners' World magazine, wrote a blog the other day about blossom. I thought it might be a mildly entertaining diversion to write about the moment just before blooming, the point at which most of our trees find themselves right now. Trees in bud.
I thought of it after my wife pointed out how extraordinary the buds of the ash tree looked. She is right that they are initially charcoal grey and then open into strange purplish flowers like miniature bunches of grapes. I had a quick wander around after that looking at buds and the first emerging leaves. It is awesome to think how much energy is stored up in those little parcels, just waiting for the warm weather.
This is Prunus 'Tai-Haku', which, for those of you who have not met it before, is the most phenomenally over-the-top cherry tree. A vast amount of frothy white blossom that is spectacular for a week or so in May.
Here are the first leaves of Rosa rugosa 'Snowdon', a wildish rose that I have growing on a grassy bank. It has clear white flowers in summer and very prickly stems. I tend to hard prune some but not all, which means that we get a much longer flowering season. (The unpruned flower earlier.)
This is the beginning of growth on a pear tree called 'Fondante d'Automne' which has lovely flowers, fantastic autumn colour and not very good fruit. Still two out of three is OK, I suppose.
These are the catkins and buds of Betula jaquemontii and, finally, lime buds. Lime leaves (Tilia x europaea) are the most delicious colour when young and feel soft and slightly damp and newborn. Sadly they quickly become leathery and the home of many millions of aphids which then proceed to drip honeydew onto anything parked beneath them.
Spring is here and there is so much to see.
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