Trees can supply a merger of love, good wishes and functional design in a home landscape. Here are some examples of what I've planted.
Magnolia x 'Butterflies', a yellow-blossomed magnolia, commemorates the birth of our first granddaughter in 2002. Its developing silhouette and flowers show all the signs of being as lilting and cheerful in the landscape as the young person for whom it was planted.
'Butterflies' is:
- a hybrid cross between Magnolia acuminate and Magnolia denudate; and
- tolerates full sun so it is in a position near my other April-blooming magnolias.
As 'Butterflies' matures, it:
- produces many graceful cup-like flowers that add contrast against the pink and white flowers of the other magnolias;
- helps to unify the yellows and whites present in adjacent daffodils and forsythia; and
- keeps foliage that looks good throughout the summer.
One shortcoming of this lovely tree is that its tender buds are tasty to neighborhood deer. I hope that as it matures and grows taller, deer will not be able to reach the buds.
Another problem is late spring frost damage to buds and flowers. This is natural for all magnolias grown in the New England landscape since they are at the edge of their cold hardiness zones.
The most recent grandchildren, a granddaughter born in April 2005 and a grandson born in July 2005, both have lilacs planted for them. Each lilac is in its own way as special as the child.
Syringa variety 'Fiala's Remembrance' produces yellow buds that yield panicles of fragrant, double creamy-white flowers. These two colors are reminiscent of my one-year-old granddaughter's imperturbable sense of self.
As 'Fiala's Remembrance' matures it:
- is developing into an upright shrub with extremely healthy foliage; and
- prolongs my yard's springtime yellow and cream colors provided by earlier blooming forsythia and daffodils.
Syringa x chinensis 'Lilac Sunday' blooms after the magnolias and with the peonies. It provides a grace note of abundant pale purple, fragrant flowers to the landscape in mid-May. I chose it for my youngest grandson because I hope he will develop and cultivate all the qualities and integrity fundamental to New England plants and plants people.
'Lilac Sunday' is:
- a new cultivar (cultivated variety) which celebrates Harvard's Arnold Arboretum and its commitment to New England lilacs;
- planted with plenty of space in full sun;
- expected to grow to about 12-feet-wide and 12-feet-high;and
- expected to take on a graceful arching habit.
In 2002, I wrote about the beginnings of my tree-planting strategy in Trees: The Gift of Love.
More about choices of trees that commemorate my grandchildren's births appears in Trees the Gift of Love - II..
Information about selecting a tree for celebration or remembrance, or donating to a nature or garden charity can be found in Trees and Love: Sources.
©
Text and photograph by Georgene A. Bramlage, May 2006. Reproduction without permission prohibited.
