Spring gallery of blossom - it's a wonderful time of year!
A favourite time of year for many people, spring has sprung, and blossom is looking glorious. Here at English Woodlands, the season is in full swing and we delight in sharing the sights with our customers. Some beautiful trees and shrubs are already clothed in blossom, but they are not all flowering cherries!
We are spoilt for choice. Ornamental cherries are indeed doing what they do best, but meanwhile, Magnolias are looking magnificent, ornamental pears such as Pyrus 'Chanticleer' are looking like white clouds and productive fruit trees are forming their promising buds, which will develop into blossom and then fruit.
In botanical terms, blossom refers to the flowers of fruit trees including plums, cherries, apples and hawthorns. Their flowers are usually abundant and flower colours range from white to cream and pale pink to deep magenta.
The season of flowering comes in waves of joy, here is Prunus 'Accolade' here on the nursery right at the beginning of April (pictured below). This tree flowers even from a very young age, as you can see. The blooms are semi-double and pink, fading to very pale pink. It develops into a small, spreading tree, reaching a height of up to 8m and a spread of around 5m. It displays wonderful autumn colour too, making it a popular choice for small and medium gardens.
Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra', the black cherry plum, flowers from March and this flowering plum tree has dark burgundy leaves and very early pale pink single flowers which are are loved by bees. It can be expected to grow up to 8m with a 5m spread. This popular tree gained the RHS Award of Garden Merit for its reliability in a wide range of conditions.
Prunus 'Pandora' is indeed a box you will want to open! The spring blossom (pictured below in very early April) is delightful and it flowers in early spring. Here on the nursery at English Woodlands in Cross-in-Hand, East Sussex, the unusual white blossom with pink highlights is looking glorious against the blue sky. The single flowers open from deep pink buds and are loved by bees. This tree has an elegant, vase-shape and it will grow to an ultimate height of up to 6m, making it ideal for the smaller or medium garden.
No mention of spring tree flowers would be complete without Magnolia! They are looking wonderful, including the star-shaped blooms of Magnolia stellata, the star magnolia (pictured below). This is a large shrub or small tree which is covered in white stars during early spring. Magnolia stellata may be small in stature but it's huge in terms of charm! It produces a mass of stunning, bright white, star-shaped flowers which appear towards the end of March, into April. They have a pleasant scent too. If you have room for only one spring-flowering tree, you can't go wrong with this!
There are several more varieties of Magnolia, including Magnolia soulangeana, tulip magnolia, also known as the saucer Magnolia (pictured below). It is one of the most popular, often chosen for its pinky white flowers. This deciduous large shrub or rounded tree produces large, goblet shaped flowers which are various shades of pink on the outside and white on the inside. Blooms are produced from mid spring before the leaves emerge. Ultimate height and spread 4-6 metres. Always check the ultimate size of a tree or shrub before planting, including the spread. Many people are surprised how much space they can occupy.
Pyrus calleryana 'Chanticleer' (pictured below) is a wonderfully versatile tree which has an upright form. It is therefore ideal for a fairly compact space and can also be used as a street tree. In late March and April it produces a cloud of white blooms which are loved by bees. This tree is a firm favourite for many good reasons including its excellent autumn colour and the fact that it is one of the last to lose its leaves.
This is a brief, whistlestop tour of blossom trees on the nursery in early spring, and there are many, many more! It won't be long before the ornamental crab apples will be blooming, bringing their own brand of charm to the glorious gallery of flowering trees.
Choosing a flowering tree or shrub
There is a tree suitable for almost every outdoor location the UK, even for a courtyard. Some trees can be grown in large pots, provided they are fed and watered appropriately.
Firstly, consider the size of the space available. The right plant in the right place will ensure the long-term success of your tree. Here are some tips for consideration:
- Are there any overhead cables or underground services?
- How close to buildings or hard landscaping is the allocated space?
- Is it next to a path or a seating area - i.e. is it likely to get in the way of your circulation route? You don't want to have to prune your tree because it's grown too large - this will spoil its character and shape.
Once you have evaluated the site in terms of size, you will know the maximum height and spread that you can allocate to a tree.
Would you like to learn more about the trees and shrubs that could bring spring joy to your garden? The nursery is open to the public, six days per week: Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm and Saturday 8am to 4pm. Closed Sundays and Bank Holidays.
We look forward to seeing you!
English Woodlands
Burrow Nursery
Cross in Hand
Heathfield
East Sussex
TN21 0UG
Tel: 01435 862992
info@ewburrownursery.co.uk