Today 
RSSGardeners' musings
Turning over a new leaf
Posted by: James Alexander-Sinclair, 06 November 2007, 08.53AM
What a glorious week it has been (with apologies to those in other places who have had torrential rain/snow/hailstones the size of gulls eggs/unseasonal drought etc).
Every morning at about 7:15 we walk around the fields - with such clear skies and sunshine how could I resist writing about leaves?
We are not really up to the New England standard (we are a bit short of red sugar maples) but there is still enough variation in leaf colour to excite. Aside from the general appearance of autumn - low sunshine, skies of Carribean blue and a fading grandeur to the woodlands, I have been looking at individual trees around the place.
We have a belt of trees that run up one side of our garden (around the septic tank if you're interested). They are basically bog standard native broadleaves planted about fifteen years ago as a shelter belt, but between them they have some great colour. One of the best is the field maple (Acer campestre) whose leaves are vivid yellow and beautifully shaped. Similar in colour but more translucent are the spade (as in cards) shaped leaves of the birch (Betula pendula). The Hawthorn have mostly lost all their leaves already but are still laden with haws and the Blackthorn are (as Pippa says) heavy with sloes. The latest to fall are the still turning English oaks and beech that (hopefully) will cling on a bit longer.
However, my two absolute favourites are the glorious Liquidambar which has the finest leaves of any tree (the variety Worplesdon is about the best). The other is a pear tree called Fondant d'Automne that, though rubbish at producing pears, has staggeringly gorgeous leaves. They begin with just a little creeping redness that gradually turns every leaf reddy chestnut - like highly polished oxblood coloured brogues.
Go out and look at leaves now (take a morning off work if you have to). This is such a brief moment and all it needs is a sharp frost or a shower of rain and they will be instantly transformed from hanging jewels to a rustle on the pavement.
Comments
Tricia M
06 November 2007, 06.53PM
Donna
07 November 2007, 10.47AM
Lynne Tice
10 November 2007, 02.21PM
Malcolm
11 November 2007, 06.19PM
rachelmary
15 November 2007, 01.12PM
James A-S
19 November 2007, 05.46PM
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