Pyrotechnics

by Julian Brandram

Autumn can be a spectacular time in our gardens and in the countryside, the colours of leaves provide a dramatic end to the year. Cold nights or frost make the colours intensify even more. It’s worth looking out for trees and plants which colour up well and adding them to your garden when you can. Cherry trees, rowan, and sumac are all ideal for a small garden. Sumac, sometimes called ‘Tree of Heaven’, has huge leaves which always turn a really fiery red. Different forms of rowan are worth looking out for too. A good one is Sorbus cashmeriana, which has pink flowers in May, followed by white berries which hang on long after the leaves have fallen. The Acers too are often spectacular, the ones with red leaves look even better before they drop, silver birch trees turn a delicate lemon yellow. Some climbing plants such as Hydrangea petiolaris and especially Virginia creeper give good colour too. A few perennials such as hostas and euphorbias add their own effect. When the leaves have all fallen there are still berries and fruits to be seen, pyracantha – called the firethorn, gives a splash of bright orange berries which the birds will eat in winter aand the crab apple Golden Hornet is usually covered in tiny yellow fruits which can be made into a delicious jelly.

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