Nature Melbourn Village in Bloom Following the many positive comments from all quarters on the Flower Tubs in the village centre, a hardy team of volunteers have now replanted these for the Winter period.
best time to get new trees in the ground, a research visit to the Garden may be in order! The maple family has much to offer and there are several species to choose from in our Winter Garden, including the paperbark maple, Acer griseum. After the vivid red and orange leaves are shed in autumn, the beautiful trunk detail comes to the fore, as papery, rich chestnut strips peel away to flutter in the breeze and seem to catch fire in the low winter sun – positioning is key. Nearby is Acer davidii, the snakebark maple, which displays in contrast a smooth, olive-green bark with pale green stripes and diamond shapes that give rise to the common name. One of the most spectacular trees at this time of year is the trio of Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’ in the Autumn Garden. This is probably the best Japanese maple selection for Cambridgeshire’s generally chalky soils, but still needs some shelter from cold easterly winds to prevent leaf scorch. The leaves are relatively large, seven-lobed, green but flush a deep burgundy in early autumn before turning orange-scarlet, the whole tree strung with bright magenta winged samara fruits. The rose family also offers a vast selection of good trees for the smaller garden. Ornamental hawthorns like the Crataegus prunifolia var persimilis that dot the Systematic Beds provide lollipops of burnt orange leaf in the late autumn, festooned with scarlet fruits and often huge globes of mistletoe, while Malus trilobata on the Main Lawn and in the Dry Garden
Grateful thanks to all who have been involved with this project, but especially Helen Powell from the Melbourn gardening club, Dick and Kathleen Raymen and Norman and Jenny Collins for their excellent help.
Time for tree-planting At the Botanic Garden we are privileged to look after one of the best tree collections in the region. The towering evergreen cedars, redwoods and pines together with limes, tulip trees, walnuts and wingnuts form the backbone of the landscape. Some of our trees are the finest specimens in UK cultivation and have acquired ‘champion’ status; others are heritage trees, noteworthy for the stories they tell. Some surprise and delight, like the recent flowering of the beautiful Chinese tree, Emmenopterys henryi, for the first time with us after a thirty year wait! But not all of our trees are huge specimens or botanical rarities. Many of our most eyecatching trees are good options for Cambridgeshire gardens, being low maintenance and offering seasonal interest, as well as nesting sites and food sources for a whole host of animals. With the end of November, after leaf fall, being the
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Malus trilobata
