For foliage follow-up this month, I've chosen a couple of maples that are particular favorites of mine. The first is Acer palmatum dissectum 'Emerald Lace' which grows in a large pot next to my house. I fell in love with the lacy green leaves, the fall show is an added bonus!
Help! I know that it needs pruning but I'm afraid of ruining it.
The other is an Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood' which I inherited with the garden. It took a long time to grown on me and I thought more than once of removing it. I'm glad that I took my time with the decision and didn't take this one out. This time of year the red foliage is very intense!
It even makes a nice red carpet to enjoy.
These are two gorgeous plants, especially in fall. Love that bright red and the carpet on the green is beautiful contrast.
ReplyDeleteThey are indeed gorgeous this time of year!
DeleteBoth beautiful trees, although I'm not a big fan of Japanese maples. But the foliage is lovely.
ReplyDeleteIt took me a long time to warm up to the Japanese maples but there are so many different ones and most change color several times during their growth - they've won me over!
DeleteWow the bananas steal the show for me, they still look fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI also love them! I wish they could be green year round here!
DeleteBeautiful! I'd like to try one of the more prostrate varieties like your 'Emerald Lace' but have hesitated about making the investment. I love Japanese maples but they're prone to leaf burn here so they have to be sited carefully to minimize that problem.
ReplyDeleteWe can grow them in full sun or what passes for full sun here. Go ahead, take the leap, make the investment! You'll be happy you did!
DeleteI can never have enough Japanese maples (or dwarf conifers). Don't be afraid to prune them; a few snips each year will prevent it from becoming a monumental task and build up your confidence. My hand is always a little shaky and my heart is sad with the lose of each little twig, but it's good for the tree and makes it better looking.
ReplyDeleteGood advice indeed. I'm o.k.pruning a few tiny branches to keep them from hitting the ground but am a little unsure about the shape I want the tree to take. I've found with other trees that I've pruned that I'm usually happy with the results and if not, new growth covers up the bad parts pretty quickly.
DeleteLove the Acers! No, that first one don't need trimming! Move house instead.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the laugh and the great idea! Fortunately that tree is planted in a huge pot that keeps moving further and further from the house each year. The branches have now wept over the pot and are touching the ground. I'd like to artfully trim it up a bit. (You know like with a hedge trimmer or weed whacker.)
DeleteI think you should leave 'Emerald Lace' as is and attach two big eyes to it.
ReplyDeleteOh Jason, your advice puts Martha to shame! Thanks for the faboo idea!
DeleteBeautiful photos!
ReplyDeleteGreetings, RW & SK
Thank you RW & SK.
DeleteBeautiful colors and forms. I envy your banana! It's too cold here to grow them.. Happy Sunday, Peter!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Satu! We are very fortunate to be able to grow some of the hardier bananas here. I hope you're enjoying the last bit of your weekend!
DeleteI just want to hug 'Emerald Lace' (orange lace at this time of year, surely) and invite it into my home. Such an adorable size! Such stunning color!
ReplyDeleteIt's a great little tree. I fell in love with its beautiful green foliage. The tag said that it had great fall color but this is the first fall in the five years we've had it that the leaves have been so vibrant. I'm sure it would love your home - maybe not the summer heat though.
DeleteMike at Joy Creek did a pruning demo on a Japanese maple. He had at it with such gusto that it came close to erasing any timidity I'd been harboring. Watching a pro at work can have that effect.
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling that Mike can do just about everything in the garden very well! Every now and then I see a workshop on pruning maples.. Next time, I'll attend one!
DeleteAcers, such a rewarding group of plants aren't they? Gorgeous colour!!
ReplyDeleteYes indeed.
DeleteBeautiful! I have a japanese maple similar to your "Emerald Lace" and don´t know how to prune it either. Unfortunately a goat did it for me. I hope it will grow again into a pretty shape.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about the goat pruning your maple!
DeleteI pretty much let my weeping maples just weep until they start growing across paths or driveways. Cutting some branches off can look kind of cool revealing the twisted interiors. But I find that every spring they prune themselves, lots of branches dying off that can be snapped off.
ReplyDeleteThe maples that I am apprehensive about pruning are the upright ones that I want to have really cool balanced shapes, I find pruning to achieve some desired change in a lop-sided tree very difficult, figuring out what cut will produce growth in the needed direction, etc. I see beautifully shaped maples but don't know how to make my ugly little mutt into one. Your weeping maple is beautifully shaped; love the red and orange colors.
I'm pretty lax with the pruning as I like to let most things grow into whatever shape they want to.
DeleteI'm not the hugest Japanese maple fan but I love the coloring on that emerald lace. So many colors!
ReplyDelete