Kerole's Place

3 Jun '09 7:42 pm

And I have a sneaky suspicion it is one of yours too, Kerole! These lovely pics are the proof. Remind us again - the tree in autumn yellow between you and the pond is?

You have what the English with wonderful understatement would have called 'a pleasant prospect': the view and the 'shape' of the setting is delightful.

4 Jun '09 1:56 am

Lovely! Those green pompoms are gorgeous. That's some frost!

4 Jun '09 8:59 am

Yes I guess I rather enjoy the transition into winter. In truth I rather enjoy these rain-free days! Most of our winter is spent negotiating near constant rain and the resulting mud and filthy horses. Sad

Fortunately it is a blessedly short season.

Jack, I think the yellow tree is some sort of variegated Birch. The leaves look like someone has spat lime green ink at them. They're pale/whitish and covered in fine green spots and splatters. I have a pair of them (too far apart to be in the same photo at once) and they're the last trees here to lose their leaves and some of the last to get new ones too.

4 Jun '09 7:27 pm

I think you might be barking up the wrong tree, Kerole Laughing

I checked Hilliers Manual of Trees and Shrubs. There is almost no mention of leaf-colour among the special cultivars of birch (mainly shape and bark), although there are many different coloured elms, of which my favourite is "Louis van Houtte". They are also rather unique in the spattered nature of their variegation. There is a lot of uncertainty about which species the various cultivars belong to, but I see Hillier has grouped most under Ulmus minor - a 'species' I was never aware of before today...

Image search under Ulmus + variegata and you might well be able to identify your tree. I think I have posted pics of my variegated elms - I have, besides 'Van Houtte', two that I've always known as Ulmus procera 'Variegata'. I'll do a site search and get back to you if I find anything!

4 Jun '09 7:34 pm

If you page down to 12 Dec's last pic, you will find it!

http://forums.mooseyscountrygarden.com/garden1025-0-asc-60.html

11 Jun '09 5:33 pm

Sometimes I wonder about this brain of mine Embarassed

You are right Jack... it's Ulmus minor variegata. It's NOT a Birch!! I've even posted it somewhere on this forum and labelled it as a variegated elm. I need coffee. Tons of coffee.

12 Jun '09 12:54 pm

Thank you Jack for complimenting our 'outlook'. I think Moosey viewers may get heartily sick of seeing the same old vista time and time again, so I made an effort to include some other aspects of our place. Very Happy

Sadly our Autumn was a pitiful affair. Poor colouration and trees losing their leaves either late or early. Most were patchy and insignificant. The late changers have put on a half decent show, thanks to a week of sub-zero frosts. The cherry trees by the garage and the poplars along the far boundary are spectacular.

I went for a wander yesterday and took some snaps as the clear skies began to fill with rain. Just in time it seems because it started raining in the night and hasn't stopped since! I'm definately not going out in this!

12 Jun '09 6:18 pm

Some lovely new views! Why is it that poplars are the most striking of rural autumn colours, and none of mine are the autumnal types? Must check on that next time I pass through those areas and buy a few...

I love your gate and approach. In fact I'm envious. To enter Sequoia you lurch off a steep road at an odd angle onto another steep road... Actually its a rutted track, not a road. Welcome to 4x4 country. I'd need a low-loader to get a Jaguar off the property Razz

I see the start of a country house movie in your garden: autumn leaves blown into little eddies as a car sweeps up the long drive towards the front door.

13 Jun '09 1:59 am

You have such a beautiful place. Smile

22 Jun '09 2:22 pm

Jack, I have to admit there have been times when pot holes have appeared in that virtually flat drive... The Jaguar has next to no road clearance and tolerates a pot hole about as distainfully as a cat with muddy paws.

Anyway, I went for a winter wander yesterday to check for frost damage. Some things have been absolutely anihilated (bye bye white Echinaceas and cleome seedlings Crying or Very sad

), and some things are unexpectedly unscathed (yay for the black scabious and golden acanthus Razz

). My geese were on patrol making a hell of a ruckus - the downside to having watch-geese (as opposed to watch dogs) is the generous green deposits of organic matter they provide. One serving is big enough to completely envelope a decent sized seedling!

Here are some very second-rate pics of the pond area. The geese look lovely but the rest is rather winter-sad.