BARK EFFECTS IN WINTER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21976, 10 June 1933, Page 2

BARK EFFECTS IN WINTER

Of all points that have to be considered in the laying out of a garden the one that appears to command least attention, in spite of its importance, is the provision of colour for the drab period of winter, when flowers in the open are practically non-existent and ever-jn-een shrubs of similar hue have a tendency to become very montonous. This aspect of a garden has even greater importance when the area is flat and where a considerable portion is visible from the windows of the dwelling. It behoves a careful planner to make arrangements for breaking the dreariness to the best possible advantage. There is a fairly wide range of trees and shrubs that can be employed for the colour effect of their barks. While an exhaustive list - will not be attempted in these notes, consideration will be given to many that are eminently suitable. It is necessary to divide them into two categories—trees and shrubs —and trees, will be dealt with first, being fewer in number, and not requiring so much detailed desscription. One of the most familiar trees is undoubtedly the silver birch. Its beautiful white stem is always a glory, whether as an isolated specimen or in groups in the woodland. Planted as an avenue in a formal garden, silver birch forms a lovely framing to a vista. When the stems are lit up by a spell of sun, they are always a delight to behold. Care should be taken to obtain the species Betula verrucosa, and to avoid B. pubescens. These two were originally considered as being synonymous, but are now separated. B. verrucosa undoubtedly produces the best stems, the other being darker in colour and marred by dark blotches on the trunk. i Other beautiful stemmed birches for a similar effect are: Betula utilis; _B. janponica and its varieties szechuanica and mandschurica; B. papyrifera; B. Ermani. creamy-white, with chocolatecoloured twigs, and its variety, nipponicaj and the Himalayan birch, B. Jacquemonti. This last is very hardy and has a peeling

white stem. Betula lutea affords tones of yellowish brown as the layers of the bark curl back; Betula Lyalliana shades of reddish-brown to white as the stem peels; while for red colouring there is Betula albo-sinensis and a variety septentrionalis, both beautiful stemmed birches in colour of an orange shade.. The maples provide some excellent stems, the Chinese members of the family being particularly good. Note should be made of Acer Davidi, with attractive white stripings on the pale green bark; A. Foresti, the striations of which are red, a colour also freely borne on the twigs of the current year; and Acer Hersi, with reddish-brown markings. Acer penneylvanicum, a species of American origin, has beautiful white markings on the stem and branches; while, a variety of the Oregon maple, Acer macrophyllum aureum, has fascinating young growths which, in winter, when the leaves have fallen, resemble long sticks of old ivory. Two other trees with pretty young growth in winter are Alims incana ramulis coccineis and Tilia platyphyllos aurantia, the first being red and the second golden yellow. Mention must also be made of a variety of the common ash, Fraxmus excelsior aurea, the young growths of Which are pale yellow. To complete the list of trees, Prumus serrula and its variety thibetica must be noted. These have delightful peeling stems of reddish-brown, and, when the sun passes through the thin layers or bark still attached to the stems, the’ effect is really wonderful. In the shrub group, there are many attractive subjects for winter colour. When planting these it ,is as well, if possible, to have them in masses and to encourasre the production of young, long shoots by annually cutting away the old growths to the stool. This should be done in early spring before active growth commences. This is especially needful in the ease of the willow family, the members of which, treated thus, will develop shoots averaging six feet in length and of intense colour. . Two of the best willows are Salix vitellina, bright yellow, and its variety britzensis, a fine red. Salix acutifolia and S. daphnoides also give excellent colour, the first having its shoots covered with a plum-coloured bloom, and the latter with a bloom of purplish hue. The cornus' family also gives fine tones of red and vellow. Reds are represented by Cornus alba and its variety sibirica, C. Baleyi,' C. stolonifera, and C. sanguinea atrosanguinea, while as a yellow C. stolonifera flaviramea is very attractive. The Chinese blackberries give good winter effect, as they carry a bluishwhite, waxy covering on the growths, which is slightly in evidence on ~our native Rubus cassius or dewberry. R. Giraldianus and R. biflorus quinqueflorus take the lead, being closely followed by R. lasiostylos, R. thibetanus,_ and R. coreanus. The Himalayan R. biflorus and the American/R. oecidentalis also hdve the same characteristic white wax. What is now a comparatively common shrub in gardens and woodlands, Spirrna Douglasi, is also splendid for winter effect when grown in masses. It has a golden hue on its annual growth, which lights up well when the sun shines on it, and gives a warm colour effect in the distance. It is especially good when sqow is lying on the ground. One of the polygonums or knotweeds, P. sachalinense, when massed in a bed and permitted to retain its long growths, yields a bright golden-brown tone. Other shrubs carry colour in their young growth during winter, but are not so suitable for hard cutting back. Note should be made of Berberis' virescens, bright red; the stag’s horn sumach, Rhustyphina and .its variety laciniata. the growths of which are covered with a i-eddish-brown hair. Kerrias, though not specially useful for the purpose, carry bright, ‘ light green growths, but a new variety, Kerria japonica vitata ramosa, will be heard more of as the growths have a yellow marking. In winter, when denuded of foliage, the plant gives the impression of being a dwarf form of the yellow cornus, with finer, more freelybranching growths. By the waterside the willows are probably the most useful of shrubs with coloured bark. Even isolated specimens, if of fair size and trimmed back to a stool annually, give an excellent effect in winter. The Weeping Willow, Salix babylonica, is the kind best suited for tvaterside planting as to habit, but for coloured bark S. vitellina (yellow) and R. v. britzensis (red) are to be preferred. —A. J. S., in Amateur Gardening.