By Feature - Shade

Catalpa bungei, also known as the Chinese catalpa or the Manchurian catalpa, is a deciduous tree that is native to China and Korea. It is a medium-sized tree that can grow up to 40 feet tall and 30 feet wide.

The tree has a broad, spreading canopy with large, heart-shaped leaves that are up to 12 inches long and 8 inches wide. The leaves are dark green and glossy on top, and paler underneath. In the fall, the leaves turn a vibrant yellow before falling off.

Catalpa bungei produces beautiful, fragrant white flowers in the late spring or early summer. The flowers are trumpet-shaped and up to 2 inches wide. They are arranged in large clusters at the ends of the branches and attract bees and other pollinators.

After the flowers fade, the tree produces long, slender seed pods that are up to 20 inches long. The pods are cylindrical and contain numerous small, flat seeds.

Catalpa bungei is a hardy and adaptable tree that can grow in a wide range of soils and conditions. It prefers full sun to partial shade and moderate moisture. The tree is commonly used in landscaping and as a shade tree in parks and gardens.

Overall, Catalpa bungei is a beautiful and hardy tree that provides year-round interest with its large leaves, fragrant flowers, and interesting seed pods.

Acer palmatum dissectum, commonly known as the laceleaf Japanese maple, is a popular ornamental tree renowned for its intricate, finely divided foliage. This deciduous shrub or small tree is part of the Aceraceae family and originates from Japan, Korea, and China. It typically grows to a height of 2 to 3 meters (6 to 10 feet) with a similar spread, making it a perfect choice for small gardens and container planting.

The leaves of Acer palmatum dissectum are deeply lobed and serrated, resembling delicate lace. Throughout the seasons, the foliage transitions from a vibrant green in spring and summer to spectacular shades of red, orange, and purple in autumn, providing year-round interest. The tree's cascading, weeping habit adds an elegant and graceful element to any landscape design.

Acer palmatum dissectum prefers a position in partial shade with well-drained, moist soil. It is relatively low-maintenance, requiring minimal pruning to maintain its shape. This tree is also known for its resilience to pests and diseases. Its compact size and striking appearance make it an excellent choice for adding structure and color to garden borders, patios, and rockeries in British gardens.

Quercus rubra, commonly known as the Northern Red Oak, is a majestic deciduous tree native to North America, including parts of the United States and Canada. This oak species belongs to the Fagaceae family and is renowned for its striking appearance, impressive size, and ecological significance.

Mature Quercus Rubra trees can reach heights of up to 100 feet (30 meters) and possess a wide, rounded crown that provides ample shade during the summer months. Its leaves, which are alternately arranged along the branches, are deeply lobed with pointed tips and possess a vibrant green colour in the spring and summer. However, during the autumn season, they transform into a breathtaking spectacle of crimson and red hues, making it a popular choice for ornamental landscaping.

The bark of the Northern Red Oak is dark brown, often becoming rough and deeply furrowed with age, adding to its visual appeal. The tree produces acorns as its fruit, which are an essential food source for numerous wildlife species, including squirrels, deer, and birds. This contributes to its ecological significance by supporting local ecosystems.

Quercus rubra prefers well-drained soils and can adapt to a variety of soil types, making it a hardy and resilient tree species. It thrives in full sun to partial shade, making it versatile in different environmental conditions.

Quercus rubra stands as a symbol of strength, resilience, and natural beauty. Its presence in North American forests and landscapes enriches the environment and provides valuable resources for both wildlife and human use. This iconic tree embodies the timeless beauty of nature and its vital role in sustaining the ecosystems it inhabits.

The Prunus 'First Blush' is an ornamental cherry tree, admired for its stunning springtime display of delicate pink flowers. This compact deciduous tree typically reaches a height and spread of around 4 to 6 metres, making it ideal for smaller gardens and spaces. Its upright, vase-like shape adds a graceful structure to the landscape, while its elegant branches create a soft, airy canopy.

In early spring, Prunus 'First Blush' comes to life with a profusion of pale pink blossoms. These flowers, initially deep pink in bud, open to reveal soft, blush-pink petals, creating a delightful contrast against the tree’s emerging bright green foliage. The flowers are small but numerous, covering the tree in a cloud of colour, which attracts pollinators such as bees. As the blossoms fade, they give way to simple, ovate leaves that turn to warm shades of yellow and orange in autumn, offering seasonal interest beyond its spring show.

This tree is relatively low-maintenance and thrives in a variety of soil types, as long as the soil is well-drained. It prefers a sunny or partially shaded location, where it can receive adequate light to produce its best display of flowers. The Prunus 'First Blush' is also reasonably hardy and can tolerate cold weather, making it well-suited to the UK climate.

A delightful feature tree, Prunus 'First Blush' adds both beauty and structure to any garden, creating a focal point with its changing seasonal colours and delicate springtime flowers.

The Betula pendula 'Golden Obelisk' is a striking variety of the silver birch tree, prized for its elegant, columnar shape and vibrant foliage. A deciduous tree, it typically reaches heights of around 4-6 metres, with a narrow, upright growth habit, making it an excellent choice for smaller gardens, urban spaces, or as a vertical accent in larger landscapes.

One of the standout features of the 'Golden Obelisk' is its stunning foliage. In spring, the leaves emerge a bright yellow-green, gradually maturing into a rich, golden-yellow during the summer. This golden hue adds a warm and striking contrast to the garden. In autumn, the leaves turn a more subdued yellow before falling, marking the change of seasons in a striking way. The bark is also characteristic of the Betula genus, with the familiar white, peeling bark adding winter interest and texture to the landscape.

Betula pendula 'Golden Obelisk' is hardy and thrives in a variety of soil types, although it prefers well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade. Its tolerance for urban pollution and cold weather makes it well-suited for a wide range of environments in the UK. It also supports biodiversity, providing a habitat for insects and birds.

This low-maintenance tree requires minimal pruning, typically only to remove dead or damaged branches. Its graceful form makes it ideal for planting in tight spaces where a more expansive tree might be unsuitable, and its vibrant foliage can provide year-round interest in gardens, courtyards, or along avenues.

Overall, the Betula pendula 'Golden Obelisk' is a versatile and visually appealing tree, perfect for adding structure, colour, and texture to any garden or landscape.

Slow-growing deciduous tree of open habit, eventually reaching about 10m in height. Bark purple-tinged white, becoming black and rugged at base. Leaves in spring are dark purple to dark-red, turning greenish purple in summer and finally purple-bronze in autumn

The Acer pseudoplatanus 'Prinz Handjery' is a striking cultivar of the sycamore maple, prized for its unique and ornamental foliage. Originating from the broader Acer pseudoplatanus species, this particular variety stands out due to its distinctive purple and green leaves, making it a favourite among gardeners seeking an eye-catching addition to their landscapes.

This medium-sized deciduous tree typically grows to a height of 10 to 15 metres, with a spread of around 8 to 10 metres, making it a suitable choice for medium to large gardens. The tree's overall shape is broadly conical or rounded, and it features a dense canopy, providing ample shade beneath. The bark of the 'Prinz Handjery' is smooth when young, developing into a more rugged and fissured texture as it matures, with patches of grey and brown that add to its visual appeal, particularly in winter.

The standout feature of this cultivar is its foliage. The leaves emerge with a bronze or purple tint in spring before maturing to a dark green with striking purple undersides. This dual-tone effect creates a beautiful contrast, especially when the wind catches the leaves, revealing flashes of colour. In autumn, the foliage transitions to golden yellow, adding seasonal interest to the garden.

In addition to its ornamental value, the Acer pseudoplatanus 'Prinz Handjery' is a hardy tree, able to tolerate a wide range of soil conditions, including clay and chalk, and is resistant to pollution, making it well-suited to urban environments. It is relatively low maintenance, requiring minimal pruning and proving resilient to pests and diseases.

Acer pensylvanicum, commonly known as the striped maple, is a deciduous tree native to the forests of eastern North America. It is a small to medium-sized tree, typically growing between 5 to 10 metres tall, with a slender trunk and spreading branches that create a rounded crown. The bark of young trees is particularly striking, characterised by green and white vertical stripes, giving the tree its common name. As the tree matures, the bark darkens to a reddish-brown or grey, and the stripes become less pronounced.

The leaves of Acer pensylvanicum are large and broad, usually measuring 12 to 18 centimetres in length and width. They are three-lobed, with a slightly serrated edge, and have a soft, velvety texture. The leaves are bright green in spring and summer, turning vibrant shades of yellow in the autumn before falling. This autumnal display makes the tree an attractive feature in woodland settings.

In late spring, the striped maple produces clusters of small, yellow-green flowers that hang down in delicate racemes. These flowers are unisexual, with male and female flowers often found on the same tree. Pollinated by wind or insects, the flowers develop into distinctive winged seeds, called samaras, which mature in late summer and are dispersed by the wind.

Acer pensylvanicum thrives in cool, shaded environments, preferring moist, well-drained soils. It is commonly found in the understorey of mixed hardwood forests, where it grows slowly in the dappled light. The striped maple is also known for its ability to regenerate from stumps, making it resilient in disturbed forest areas.

Acer platanoides, commonly known as the Norway maple, is a large deciduous tree native to continental Europe and western Asia and is a popular ornamental tree in parks, gardens, and streetscapes due to its hardiness and adaptability to urban conditions.

The Norway maple can reach heights of 20 to 30 metres, with a broad, rounded crown. Its bark is greyish-brown and smooth when young, becoming ridged and furrowed as the tree matures. The leaves have five to seven lobes, but are typically dark green. In autumn, the foliage turns bright yellow, creating a striking display. The leaves exude a milky sap when broken, which is a distinguishing feature of the species.

In spring, Acer platanoides produces clusters of small, yellow-green flowers that bloom before the leaves emerge. These flowers are arranged in upright, corymb-like inflorescences, making the tree visually appealing during the early part of the growing season. The tree also produces characteristic winged seeds known as samaras, which appear in pairs and are often referred to as "helicopter seeds" due to the way they spin as they fall to the ground.

Norway maple is a fast-growing species and is tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, including poor and compacted soils. Its adaptability to polluted urban environments makes it a favoured choice for street planting.