World Clock
Pacific	Eastern	Japan	Finland	Germany	Australia	UK

I was first introduced to these marvellous trees some 10 years ago when I first formulated the idea of building a Japanese Garden. Little did I know that my first innocent purchase was to begin what was to become something of an addiction. I seem to remember that my first (or at least one of my first) maples was ‘Garnet’, or, more particularly ‘Acer Palmatum Atropupureum Dissectum ‘Garnet’. I well remember impressing my luckless friends with my knowledge of the name, one of my only Latin plant names at that time.

Garnet

The beauty of Japanese maples to me is their sheer variety of leaf shape and colour, and the manner in which this colour changes throughout the season. A.P. ‘Shindeshojo’ is a most stunning bright red in springtime, changing to a variegated greenish colour throughout the summer.

Shindeshojo

Another of my favourites is A.P. Okagami which moves through reds to purple/black to dark green undertones to a most stunning scarlet red in autumn, when, if truth be told, most of this variety of acer come into their own in spectacular style.

Okagami

Acers can be planted on their own in any garden as a specimen plant, and will merit many admiring comments. Planted as a group with the intention of showing off their autumn coats in their varied shades of red, yellow, orange, purple, green et al. provides a canvas that will rival any group of flowers in any garden in the world.

Group

Unfortunately Japanese maples tend to be expensive (especially for the more mature specimens) and the average gardener has to be content with smaller plants and simply wait for them to grow. This applies particularly to the ‘named’ varieties ... the cultivars. Fortunately cheaper plants can be bought which have been grown from seed and which will also provide all the characteristics of their more expensive cousins. I myself have grown a number of plants from seed, and one or two are pleasing me greatly as they develop. Patience, of course, as in all gardening, is required.

Seedling

Acers require a well drained soil which has a constant moisture content, neither too wet nor too dry nor too variable from one to the other. They prefer a slightly acid soil but will grow happily in neutral soil without any ill effects. They sit well with rhododendrons. I have gotten into the habit of planting new trees slightly above the soil level and then building up the soil around the plant to ensure the necessary free draining. I also bury a piece of downpipe beside the plant so that I can water deeply for the first couple of seasons until the plant becomes established.

Waterpipe

I recommend these plants to you all. Just beware .... the addiction is certain and can force the implementation of a second mortgage.

Sango Kaku

Written by Whis4ey