ARS Southern Tasmania Newsletter – June 2017

• Date: 31st May 2017
• author: Lesley Gillanders

IN MY GARDEN

The leaves are still falling from the deciduous trees and shrubs as I write these notes. The golden Metasequoia glyptosroboides set a copious amount of seed. Ken gathered a quantity of them and kept in our warm lounge room until they spilt open, enabling the seed to fall out but not one was viable. Maybe next year there will be fertile seed.

The two Prunus 'Mt Fuji' have practically no leaves left on them but there is a carpet of gold beneath
them covering the Cyclamen. If the weather stay dry Ken will be able to blow the leaves off the
bed with the large blower he has. It is a powerful machine and getting too heavy for him to hold. There
are more Cherries along the side fence. Prunus serrulata 'Tai Haku', P.s.'J H Veitch' and P.s.'Yukon',
known as the Green Cherry.

Cornus kousa and all forms are worthwhile for the beauty of their flowers in Spring but in Autumn
they are equally pleasing with brilliant red foliage. We have had a plant of Cercis silaquastrum, known
as The Judas Tree, in the garden at the side of the drive. The form we have is C.s.'Forest Pansy'. It
produced maybe one or two flowers instead of masses of them for the first three years here. Ken cut it
back to half its original size of over 1m high and now it has a prolific amount of leaves which are turning
from deep red to bright red. Nearby, the Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia' has dropped its rich golden
leaves.

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