Trees | New and Ancient
We have added some new varieties to our ever expanding range of trees this year. Here are a few of the most notable additions.
Laburnum Yellow Rocket (Picture courtesy of Frank P Matthews)
Laburnum ‘Yellow Rocket’ – Golden Chain or Golden Rain Tree
This new variety of the Golden Chain Tree was crowned Best in Show in the New Plant Awards category at the HTA’s (Horticultural Trades Association’s) National Plant Show this year. It is a compact, columnar, upright form of Laburnum. Its narrow habit means it doesn’t take up much space, making it suitable for smaller gardens, avenues and patios. Laburnum Yellow Rocket has bright yellow, pendular flowers in spring followed by long seed pods in late summer and autumn. It is hardy and heat tolerant and will grow in any free-draining soil.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Mojo Berry
Mojo Berry – Dwarf Japanese Mulberry – Morus rotundiloba
This compact tree won Plant of the Year at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2017 but wasn’t available last year. We now have it in stock. The Mojo Berry fruits on both new and old wood, even when young. It fruits all summer from May until Sept/Oct. It has attractive white flowers in spring, is self-fertile, seedless and hardy. It is good in the garden or can be kept in a pot. You can eat the delicious mulberries fresh or make jams, wine or mix them into a smoothie or cocktail.
Glastonbury Thorn – Crataegus monogyna ‘Biflora’
We now have in stock this interesting ancient variety of tree that, as the name suggests, can flower twice a year – once around Christmas and again around Easter. Legend has it that Joseph of Arimathea climbed Wearyall Hill when he arrived in Glastonbury and planted his staff in the soil while he rested. In the morning it had grown shoots! Unsurprisingly, they were regarded as holy thorns. During the English Civil War, many were destroyed by Cromwell’s troops as a symbol of superstition but a few survived.
Since the 17th Century, when James Montague, the Bishop of Bath & Wells sent a budded branch of a Glastonbury Thorn to Queen Anne, King James I’s consort, a spray of flowers from a Glastonbury Thorn has been sent to the reigning Queen every Christmas.
It is fully hardy and will grow in most soils in full sun or partial shade.
Calycanthus Aphrodite
Calycanthus ‘Aphrodite’
Calcycanthus or Sweetshrub is a small tree or large shrub with scented, large red, magnolia-like flowers from mid-summer and into early autumn. Aphrodite is a new variety with larger, beautifully scented flowers. Its eventual height is only 2.5m (8ft) meaning it is suitable for a small garden.
Calycanthus will grow in full sun or partial shade in any free-draining soil and is hardy down to -15ºC, although it is best sheltered from cold winds.
