Winter's bark
Currently recovering from the effects of whichever bug laid both me and Maria down over the last few weeks a walk round the rather hilly ten acre site of The Garden House made me realise three things.
Firstly, at 73, I don't recover as quickly as I used to. A mere couple of hours walk was exhausting. Secondly, even the best of gardens can be bleak in December. Pregnant with possibility, and an enjoyable walk, but stll bleak. Thirdly, never underestimate the attraction of colourful bark to provide some winter cheer.
Birches offered a good number of variations, starting with the red-brown peeling bark of Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis 'China Rose'...
...to the white of B. 'Festowii'
Maples, Acer species and varieties can also offer excellent bark interest. Snakebark maples such as Acer davidii 'Ernest Wilson'..,
...or Acer tegmentosum 'White Tigress'....
...provide interesting variations on the same theme, while the brown peeling bark of Acer griseum offers contrasting variety.
Mahogany barked Prunus serrula shone brightly when the sun came out, inviting hands to polish the lustrous bark.
These are all relatively small trees, well suited to add interest to restricted spaces in small gardens. But if even these are too large it's worth considering one of the shrubby, bright barked cornus varieties such as Cornus alba 'Sibirica'....
...or, for complete contrast, the ghost bramble, Rubus thibetanus.
Cut back hard after the winter's display, their colourful stems brighten any garden scene.
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