Brexit Blues

One way and another it has not been a good summer, not helped by in my view the extremely foolish decision of my country to leave the European Union, not that I was allowed to vote on the matter. Moreover, a seriously bad back and too many visitors have meant that the garden has suffered, along with this blog, my last effort being as long ago as May. Back then I had intended to write a little bit more about roses, but I now cannot recall what I had in mind, except perhaps to recommend a rose that goes under the not very promising name of Bossa Nova. Its flowers, which are pink and fully double, remind me very much of the I am tempted to say 'iconic', since I fear that I have caught the disease, but anyway well known hybrid musk, Felicia.  Its growth however is different making a lowish bush. Indeed the Quest-Ritsons' in the RHS Rose Dictionary point out that it was originally  grown as a ground cover plant and in their view could also be grown a small climber. This is not at all what I want, but happily neither mine nor the one I first saw at La Coursiana shows any sign of either characteristic. And while on the subject of roses I would also like to recommend Thérèse Bugnet. Probably by mistake we have ended up with two plants neither of which got off to a good start. Now one of them has got away, and at this moment is very eye-catching, not in fact because of its flowers but because of the autumn colouring of its leaves. Thérèse Bugnet's parentage is rather complicated but there is certainly rugosa blood in it, which no doubt explains the wonderful colouring, a feature of all rugosas. But this may also explain its slow start. I may well have mentioned this before but in my view rugosas are not in our neck of the woods the fail safe roses that they are cracked up to be, often for instance suggested as hedges. I guess what they really like is poor soil, not our heavy clay soil which in winter can often result in water logging. Thus though I am recommending Thérèse, my advice would be to plant her on a bank where there is at least some chance of excessive water running off. And incidentally there is nothing wrong with her flowers, which are a fully double pink and repeat well.

Our garden has also suffered from lack of rain, though statistically it has to be said our rainfall amounts are still above average for the year, this because of the very wet first half. But apart from two downpours in September we have had very little rain since the end of July and this combined with high temperatures has meant that we have never been so dry. As a result much in the garden has suffered with for instance repeat flowering roses being very reluctant to repeat. This being the case I thought that it might be helpful to highlight plants that have not suffered. Of the trees I can strongly recommend four acers - A.discolor, A.oliverianum, A.Pacfic Sunset, and A.truncatum - that have come through with flying colours and are now all in their full autumn glory. Perhaps the A.oliverianum is the most interesting in that it resembles what are called the Japanese  maples - A.palmatum. In my view they are amongst the most attractive small trees/shrubs as regards both the foliage and form, not to mention their autumn colouring, but alas they are difficult to grow in Gascony since they want acid soil, shade and a certain amount of dampness. A. oliverianum appears to survive without any of these things, or at least it copes well with dryness. And on the subject of acers and acid soil, I have to say that I am a little wary of some of the outstanding autumn colour performers such as A.rubrum, A.saccharinum, and A.saccharum. It seems clear that they do not need acid soil , but my suspicion is that they would prefer it. Certainly I have come across some  showing signs of chlorosis - i.e. unnatural yellowing of young leaves - but maybe the result of winter wet and lack of drainage rather than lack of acidity. And incidentally I would say the same about many of the North American oaks.

Other small trees that flourish in the dry would include Maclura pomifera; I could do without the fruit which resemble a very wrinkled lemon, and the thorns are seriously vicious, but the hotter the weather the greener and shinier become its leaves, until they go a lovely autumn yellow. Also with yellow autumn colour is Melia azedarach, I would suggest that this is a must for Gascon gardens, what with flowers, fruit and scent, similarly Koelreuteria paniculata, which the Hillier catalogue pronounces to be 'easy on all soils but flowering and fruiting best in hot,dry summers". I guess the same can be said about the various Sumachs (rhus) and Sorbarias. Some will find them a bit too much in their face both as regards flowers and autumn colouring, and they all should come with a 'health warning' since they produce suckers in large quantities. But on the other hand they are very quick to make an impact, and if planted in grass the suckers can be kept at bay by mowing. I have a soft spot for the slightly lesser known R. chinensis; this with whitish rather than deep red 'candelabras' and with to my mind slightly more nuanced autumn colour, and incidentally on sale at La Coursiana.

Finally since time and space is running out four more trees that appear not to be affected by the secheresse. Our Pistacia chinensis have grown remarkably quickly, from around one meter to five in as many years. It is an attractive tree at all times with its glossy pinnate leaves, but brilliant autumn colour is when it really comes into its own.  I am sure that it should be better known. Ptelea trifoliata is perhaps a little nondescript, but I was encouraged to obtain it on account of its fragrant yellowish flowers and attractive hop-like fruits, one of its common names being Hop Tree. Another is Swamp dogwood, but ours shows no sign of needing a swamp, or indeed very much moisture.  I am rather new to Staphlea colchica first seeing it in a deserted quarry having initially mistaken it, with its pretty white flowers in late Spring for some kind of cherry. It is perhaps more of a large shrub than tree though growing up to four meters at least, but very much multi-stemmed. At first glance it does not look as if it would be happy in dry conditions, but ours is on a south facing bank, and showed no sign of wilting.  Lastly Tetradium/Euodia danielli. This like the Ptelia has whitish flowers with attractive scent, though the flowers make more of an impact, followed by in its case strong reddish fruits. It is very similar to the Phellodendrons  - japanese Cork and Amur cork trees. In fact all three make attractive medium sized trees, but if I had to choose between them I would go for Tetradium on account of the scent, but also with less conviction because I suspect that it copes with the dryness a little better.

There are of course other trees that cope well enough with Gascon summers, amongst them being the large Fraxinus family, or in other words the Ashes. Nor have I got time to tackle the even larger Quercus/Oak family, though some of these cope much better with dry than others. Meanwhile there have been quite a lot of disappointments, but more about these in my next blog;