Talkback: Choosing plants for autumn colour - Talkback

21/09/2011 at 13:05

I've been delightedly surprised by the poppy red colour on the leaves of my red hammamelis which I did not expect as I bought it for the scent from the flowers early in the spring. An amelanchier is on my wish as it looks great in blossom and the berries are edible as well. Some plants just go on giving. The pink leaves of Davidii involucra are lovely in the autumn and you have the handkerchiefs in May. My birds brought a spindle tree for free to my garden and it is covered with its lovely pink seedheads ready to burst open to show the orange berries, and its leaves are colouring up. But, for variation in colour try growing acers from seed off a mature tree. I have five still in pots and all showing different colours of autumn leaves from salmon pink to a dark burgundy. At our local group of the Alpine Garden Society we are having one of the four lectures at our annual conference on "The Glory of Autumn" by the curator of the Oxford University Botanic Garden, Timothy Walker. I an all agog to see his slides and I'm sure my wish list will grow considerably. So sorry to hear you had a disappointing season in your garden, Pippa.

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21/09/2011 at 13:20

I am hoping to buy a new plum tree for a sheltered paved garden area but cannot find any advice on the web about which would be the best to buy, I would like to train it up a south facing wall. Any ideas?

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23/09/2011 at 09:55

Euonymus alatus is showing lovely pink colour this year and with its strange winged branches is a very special shrub to have in your garden.

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23/09/2011 at 13:44

Lovely autumn colour here...

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23/09/2011 at 16:09

Our allotment harvest wasn't brilliant this year, either... adequate but nothing to write home about. Talking of public gardens, is it considered a very bad thing to do, to pick seed heads off plants? http://www.mandysutter.com/reluctant-gardener-day-390-harvest/

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24/09/2011 at 08:40

Mandy, better to ask permission from a gardener. Just think how he or she would feel if you were seen treading on soil which they do not want compacted or picking seed heads they want to collect for another part of the estate. Some things are acceptable like gathering up chestnuts from the ground on parts where the public usually walk. I think if it was commonplace to see people picking seed heads in a public park it would not be long before some people would think it OK to pick a bunch of flowers or a whole plant. It is the thin end of the wedge.

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25/09/2011 at 11:41

Please help this year has been a disaster for my potted acer trees. At times I wonder if my beautiful plants have died.What should i do now and what feed should I use so that I may have my wonderful plants back next year, I live in devon so climate is not too bad.should I put thMarylynem away in a shed for protection after last years weather and should they be wrapped up .Than you

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25/09/2011 at 13:41

marylyndavison, to test whether your potted acers are still alive just break a twig and see if there is any light colour inside. If so, they are alive and can e saved Did a high wind strip off the leaves or were they too dry in their pots in the dry spring? I would not feed them but water them well by putting the pots in a container of water for an hour or two. They grow on mountains so do not need warmth but shelter from high winds is essential, so a sheltered spot outside should suit them best. I had several seedlings survive like that last year in the bitter winter we had in Bristol.

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25/09/2011 at 15:14

thanks for that happy marion.I have just checked and plants have not died.Also noticed lots of new shoots begining to appear. This is too early surely? Anyway I will do as you advise and hope all goes well I will be heartbroken not to have them. THANKS

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25/09/2011 at 15:33

Does anyone know what I should do. I was out earlier this year and took a pine cone home I left it and while dusting i found that a load of seeds had fallen out from the cone, Are these pine tree seeds, and if so what would I do with them? Thanks :)

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25/09/2011 at 16:45

Thanks v much for your advice, Marion. That does make sense. Indeed, a sense that it wouldn't be quite right has kept me from plundering, despite the temptation. http://www.mandysutter.com/reluctant-gardener-day-390-harvest/

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25/09/2011 at 17:53

You can put your seeds in a little plastic box and store them in the refrigerator till the spring, then sow them in a pot of ericaceous compost and you will get little pine trees. If they are Scots pine remember they are forest trees so will eventually reach a great height. But you could bonsai them!

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28/09/2011 at 12:29

My mother in law gave me a camelia plant in the early summer. I planted it and it started growing really well- buds started to appear about 4 weeks ago but now I think it is dying. All the leaves are brown and curled round on themselves. I feed it with the special food, but i think it has been caused by my dog weeing on it...Can i bring it back to life? please help!

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28/09/2011 at 14:02

Today I spotted a cowslip in flower in my garden. Is this a first?

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28/09/2011 at 18:04

Cowslips, primroses, primulas,wallflowers, are all flowering in my garden. This happens every year in the autumn just as the clematis montana gives its second show. The autumn flush is not quite as floriferous as the spring one but does not seem to lessen the spring show at all. So enjoy your spring cowslip in the autumn, sjanepr,but it is quite common.

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28/09/2011 at 18:40

i registered for the news letter and i have not received any

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29/09/2011 at 20:21

Our 20 tr old Amelanchior Lamarkii has died this year. We need to replace it as we hang all the bird feeders on it. Can you suggest something that won't grow too large which will provide as much interest and colour all year?

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29/09/2011 at 21:04

There are beautiful varieties of hawthorn now available and it will survive harsh winters being a native. The spring brings lots of blossom and the autumn lots of berries and you can grow climbers through it for added interest. Mine has a perennial sweet pea which flowers for about eight weeks in the summer and disappears underground in time for the spring blossom display, and the berries will save a lot of money in bird food.

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01/10/2011 at 08:22

Thanks, but we've opted for a flowering cherry.

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23/10/2011 at 11:48

I have a wisteria growing in a pot during the summer all the leaves fell off and new shoots died back. It is planted in john inns no 3 compost and well watered i put bonemeal in the soil to encourage rootgrowth but now not sure what to do?