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32

LIFE

October/November 2012 www.esb.ie/em

USE YOUR GARDEN TO MAKE A COLOUR STATEMENT

Autumn pyrotechnics!

GERRY DALY

GARDENING

Gerry Daly makes a selection of the best trees and shrubs for autumn colour.

THE MAPLES ARE the undoubted stars of autumn colour. The big Norway maple is magnificent in full colour with bright butter-yellow leaf colour and sometimes a suffusion of red on the sunny side. The Japanese maples offer lots of choice. The purple-wine foliage of Acer palmatum ‘Atropurpureum’ changes to rich red as it fades. A vigorous grower, ‘Osakazuki’ has smallish, tough leaves and it turns to lovely shades of yellow and red. The coral-bark maple, ‘Sango Kaku’ is outstanding in winter with its red bark and it has lovely autumn colour in shades of soft yellow and red too.

The small weeping kinds, such as the green-leaved ‘Dissectum’ and the purple form, ‘Dissectum Atropurpureum’ are very good for colour. The green form turns to superb shades of yellow and orange and the purple form to red and purple shades. ‘Chitoseyama’ makes a tall mound with graceful drooping branches and beautiful bronzed leaves and autumn colour in shades of yellow, orange and red. ‘Chisio’ has red leaves in spring and brilliant red again in autumn. ‘Katsura’ has orange leaves in spring and bright yellow in autumn.

Deciduous azaleas are superb for autumn colour. These can be seen in shades of bright yellow on the kinds that are yellow in flower and in shades of orange and deep crimson for the ones that carry orange or red flowers. The sweet gum or liquidamber comes from the eastern United States and grows well in mild areas on fairly dry soil. It has leaves shaped like those of maple and it is often taken to be a maple with beautiful shades of red, purple, orange and yellow. Tulip tree or liriodendron is another American tree, related to magnolia with tulip-shaped yellow-green flowers. It is a big tree with distinctive leaves, saddle-shaped that turn clear yellow.

Juneberry or amelanchier is also from North America and colours to spectacular shades of yellow and crimson reliably. From the same area comes the stagshorn sumach with a great show of colour especially on dry soil, large ash-like leaves in green, yellow, red and purple at the same time. Another of the same region is the witch hazel, the yellow-flowered forms giving bright yellow leaves and the red-flowered kinds having a red touch. The Chinese, or winged, spindle colours to brilliant shades of rich deep red that flushes out to coral-red.

Katsura tree or cercidiphyllum is a beautiful tree with small round to heart-shaped leaves. Native to China and Japan, it makes a big tree, and the leaves turn to lovely fiery shades of red, orange and yellow. The yellow ash is a form of the ordinary native ash and it varies only in its yellow autumn colouring. In October, the yellow-gold colour shines through and colours reliably each year.

Most of these trees and shrubs need well-drained but moist acid soil to grow, or they colour up better when grown in acid soil. The exceptions that do not need acid soil are Juneberry, Chinese spindle and staghorn sumach — and the Japanese maples are fine too, better on acid but fine in limy soil too.

AUTUMN TIDY-UP

• If the garden is given a good once-over in autumn, it will not only look better for the entire winter but it will be easier to manage in spring. Start by collecting all sorts of extraneous objects — litter, leaves, discarded toys, forgotten tools and so on. Tidy away and dump items that are not needed but amount to garden clutter.

• Remove old stems of plants that have collapsed, leaving the stems and seedheads that are still intact and will provide a winter feature. When the unwanted stems are cleared thoroughly, it will be a lot easier to get at the weeds that have become established.

• Mow the lawn as late as possible, providing the soil is not soggy, and continue though winter if the soil is firm enough. Trim the lawn edges for the last time this year as this makes beds and borders look well-defined for winter.

• Tidy a garden pool, raking out leaves and other debris that might have got in. Decaying water plants can be removed too. Paved areas should be swept down and washed with an anti-algal product if they are green and slippery. Tidy garden furniture if it is left outside, or store it away. Clean down a barbecue of all dirt and charcoal.

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Page 33

Skye High Holidays

TONY CLAYTON-LEA

TRAVEL

Travel highlights from the Isle of Skye

Skye is the largest of the islands of the Inner Hebrides, about 50 miles long, and ranging from seven to twenty-five miles broad. It has a coastline of 350 miles and an area of about 350,000 acres. It is one of the most remarkable islands in the world and has been singularly successful in attracting a tourist population far and wide, which doesn’t seemed to have spoiled its natural beauty and serenity. The 19th century writer Alexander Smith has said of Skye, “After eleven months labour or disappointment, a person will find on the island the medicine of silence and repose.” As you stand by the bay at Isle Ornsay early in the morning, with the mist shrouding the lochs and the mountains in a layer of grey gossamer, it’s difficult to believe that another world lies beyond it.

Where To Stay: Cuillin Hills Hotel, Portree, is a multiple awardwinning establishment set in mature gardens with awe-inspiring views over Portree Bay and the Cuillin mountain range. www.cuillinhills-hotel-skye.co.uk

Where To Eat: The restaurant at the above hotel is also a multiple award winner – including AA and RAC 3 Stars.

Where To Drink: Stein, on Waternish, is the oldest pub on Skye, and boasts one of the best pub views in the British Isles. In the colder months, great food and ales (from the island’s own brewery) are best experienced in front of a roaring fire.

Must See/Do: Skye’s end-of-the-world atmosphere blending in seamlessly with a wee dram of the locally produced whisky.

HIGHLANDS

Lovers of the outdoors – particularly walkers – will find that the Highlands are as close to their idea of bliss as they can imagine. The remote and beautiful wilderness of the countryside, which boasts any amount of lochs, moors, mountains, has a profound effect on the temperament. The Highlands are arguably the last great wilderness in Europe and here you will find a way of life that is waning in the rest of Scotland - Like rural Ireland, only seemingly never-ending, the pace of life in the Highlands is slow, assured and never less than welcoming.

Where To Stay: Rufflet’s Country House Hotel, Strathkiness Low Road, St Andrews; 0044-1334-472594; www.rufflets.co.uk A classic Scottish country house, no more, no less.

Where To Eat: The Craggan Mill Restaurant, Grantown-on-Spey, is a former 18th century mill that is run by people who know how to treat customers well (for example, if you book a table it’s yours for the entire evening). It’s superb – simple as that. www.cragganmill.co.uk

Where To Drink: Being mentioned in The Good Beer Guide is something that The Barn, Cologin, is well used to. Expect a unique atmosphere, very decent pub grub, the best of local musicians and a wide range of ales, beers and spirits.

Must See/Do: Where else but the 24-mile long Loch Ness, arguably the most famous lake in the world and the one that contains the greatest volume of fresh water in the British Isles.