Decidedly, the most favorable attribute of the Eastern redbud is its bloom period. Strings of bursting purple blossoms covering bare trunks and branches is a beautiful sight â albeit brief. The foliage that follows is nice, but nondescript and well, a little boring. So, although the native redbud can make for a great addition to our home gardens, it isnât as versatile as some of its newer, more unique cousins.
What many newer redbud cultivars offer is diversity in foliage and varying leaf color. There are several cultivars of Cercis canadensis that I would recommend for home gardens for a variety of reasons, including dramatic foliage. Topping the list is âThe Rising Sun,â âRuby Fallsâ and âHearts of Gold.â
Light and bright: the world famous White Garden at Sissinghurst Castle, Kent
Credit: Jonathan Buckley
It all started, for me, as a passion for growing plants successfully. Then came learning how to manage their height and bulk, so that they didn’t all fall over and swamp each other. Next came the need to learn to plant for every season and a love of evergreens.
Last but by no means least came an appreciation of flower and leaf colour and texture, along with other important fancy visual stuff, a process that is ongoing, of course.
A significant light-bulb moment on this gardening adventure came for me, not from studying the famous colour wheel, but after a visit years ago to the (then) well-known flower border of the colourists Nori and Sandra Pope in the walled vegetable garden at Hadspen House, Somerset.
Most trees reach ultimately at least 23ft (7m) tall and although most âgarden treesâ attain 30ft (10m) or more at maturity, there are many examples that stay smaller, in all shapes and sizes, evergreen and deciduous.
Here s a complete guide to the best trees for small gardens, so hopefully you can find one perfect for you.
Trees under 30ft
Most gardens can find space for the smallest trees, under 30ft high at maturity. Here are three excellent examples that are great for proportion and decorative value.
Cercis canadensis Forest Pansyâ AGM, with large heart-shaped purple leaves, offers rich autumn colour.Â
Most trees reach ultimately at least 23ft (7m) tall and although most âgarden treesâ attain 30ft (10m) or more at maturity, there are many examples that stay smaller, in all shapes and sizes, evergreen and deciduous.
Here s a complete guide to the best trees for small gardens, so hopefully you can find one perfect for you.
Trees under 30ft
Most gardens can find space for the smallest trees, under 30ft high at maturity. Here are three excellent examples that are great for proportion and decorative value.
Cercis canadensis Forest Pansyâ AGM, with large heart-shaped purple leaves, offers rich autumn colour.Â