My three favourite trees are liquidambar, paulownia, liriodendron.
Liquidamber
I first came across liquidambar at Hilliers garden near Romsey. I visited in the autumn and turned a corner by the house to be met by this stunning tall tree that looked as if it was on fire. Liquidambar has many common names including sweetgum, hazel pine and alligatorwood. The tree exudes a sweet sap when the trunk is cut. Most of the varieties of liquidambar are large at between 25 to 40 metres and I never expected to have a garden big enough to be able to grow one myself. When I was researching plants for the front garden I had a quick look to see if there were any small liquidambars that might be suitable and I came across a variety called Gumball which grows to a height of 2.5 metres. This is a lollipop shaped tree which is produced by grafting a dwarf shrubby form of liquidambar onto a clear stem. Thankfully Ashwood Nurseries, where I purchased all of my plants for my front garden, had one in stock when I made my purchases and it has pride of place in the front garden. I have also included one as the centre piece in the raised beds by the gazebo.
Paulownia tomentosa
I first saw paulownia tomentosa in Beth Chatto’s garden in Colchester around 20 years ago. I then came across it in the herbaceous borders at Wisley where they are planted at the back and pollarded each year. This creates extremely large lush tropical leaves but at the expense of flowers as flowers only appear on mature wood. When I visited New Zealand in 2008 I saw one grown as a tree in Rotorua where one was growing in a garden opposite the hotel I was staying in, and ten years later when I stayed in the same hotel I paid a visit to the tree again.
As a tree they can grow up to 25 metres high. Paulownia tomentosa has common names of empress tree or foxglove tree. The purple flower bloom in spring, before the leaves emerge. In Japan, the tree is planted at the birth of a girl. The fast-growing tree matures when she does. When she is eligible for marriage, the tree is cut down and carved into wooden articles for her dowry. I have one I grow as a tree in my water garden area and it awarded me with flowers for the first time during the first Covid lockdown. I did have one in the main border which I pollarded each year but unfortunately last year there was no signs of growth.
Liriodendron tulipifera
I first came across liriodendron tulipifera in the botanic gardens at Samares Manor on Jersey. The tree, a native of North America, has common names of the tulip tree and the tulip poplar. They are so named as their large flowers resemble tulips. I love the large leaves which can be as much as 25cm wide and turn bright yellow in the autumn. The tree itself is deciduous and can grow to between 18 and 60 metres high. I have planted one in the hot border. It hasn’t as yet flowered – I’m guessing it is too young as they usually start forming flowers after around 15 years. Each year I’m hopeful that flowers will appear, but nothing as yet.
