The Growing Edge – May 2015

This Month's Featured Trees

This month we are featuring two trees with completely different uses. One will provide us with lush green foliage while many other trees around us are colouring up for Autumn and dropping their leaves. The other is a fantastic Maple tree that is one of the first and brightest to colour our gardens. 

Acer negundo – Sensation

Acer negundo – Sensation Maple Tree is a spectacular non-seed bearing tree with super branching structure and has a well rounded shape. It grows taller and more rounded as it matures and has pretty yellow green leaves in spring that turn to brilliant pinkish red in autumn. It is drought tolerant and will do well in most conditions.
It is the ideal season to transport these as you can lie them down in a trailer and not worry about any wind burn on the trip home.

Cupressus leylandii – Leighton Green

This is a fast growing conifer with a dense conical habit and attractive dark green foliage. Leighton Green has fantastic consistent growth habit reaching 6 metres in 10 years. 

It is perfect for windbreaks, shelter and privacy hedges. Also great for avenue and driveway plantings.

What To Do With All Those Autumn Leaves

Firstly, have you ever wondered why the leaves of deciduous plants change colour in Autumn? The basic explanation is this. During winter, there is not enough light or water for photosynthesis. The trees will rest, and live off the food they stored during the summer. The green chlorophyll disappears from the leaves. As the bright green fades away, we begin to see yellow and orange colors. Small amounts of these colors have been in the leaves all along. We just can't see them in the summer, because they are covered up by the green chlorophyll.

Now, what to do with all those leaves….
1. Compost Them. Autumn leaves, especially those that have been chopped or shredded are dream additions to the compost pile.
2. Mulch. Once you've shredded your leaves, they can be used as mulch in flower beds, vegetable gardens or under trees and shrubs. Apply a layer of shredded leaves to your beds, keeping the mulch from directly touching the stems and trunks of your plants. The mulch will help the soil retain moisture, stay cool, and limit weed seed germination. As a bonus, the leaves will add nutrients to the soil as they break down.
3. Just Mow Them. There really is no reason to rake all of the leaves off of your lawn. If you simply run over them with a mower (with the wheels set at their highest setting) they'll break down over the winter, providing your soil with nutrients

What's Been Happening At Blerick
Steve has been working hard getting a new picnic area ready on the property for our cottage guests and nursery visitors. Under the shade of two huge pine trees, we now have a lovely place to sit in the Summer protected from the sun, or to gather around a campfire on the cool Autumn nights.

What's Looking Great
Acer rubrum 'October Glory Lipstick Maple' is an excellent specimen tree with late red autumn foliage colour. When the leaves turn they also become a wonderful background tree.
They have a height of 8 – 12 metres but tend to only to reach its minimum height in an urban environment.
The October Glory adapts to a wide range of soil conditions including moderately wet soils. It is also tolerant to air pollution and compaction.

Accommodation Special for May

Book your stay during May and receive a special mid-week deal of $130 per night for two adults. All amenities are still included with this deal so there is no need to bring your own towels or linen. Everything is provided, all you need is the food to cook in the fully equipped kitchens.