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Around the Gardens..... plants are still showing an abundance of colour in spite of the severe drought we experienced in August. Some of the trees have been under stress and are showing their autumn tints already. Two trees to look out for at this time of the year are the Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia' and Pterocarya fraxinifolia. The Robinia is the golden tree just in front of the Glasshouses on the west lawn. It looks especially magnificent against a clear blue sky. 'Frisia' is a form of the black locust from the eastern USA. This form was introduced from Holland in 1935, and is one of the most abundant of golden leaved trees to be planted. One of the main problems with this tree is that the wood is rather brittle, and whole branches can die and fall. The Pterocarya fraxinifolia may be found up on Birch Hill (further westwards past the glasshouses). The common name for this tree is the Caucasian wingnut: Pteron meaning wing, and karyon meaning nut. The leaf is like an ash leaf, hence fraxinifolia. This tree is draped with pendant catkins at this time of year. The fruits hang well into the winter, and you may often see the remains of the previous year's fruit. Pterocarya fraxinifolia originates from the Caucasus Mountains growing in woods, near rivers and boggy places.

The Glasshouses provide continuing interest...pass through to the area containing the Central and South American plants, and you will find the Angels' trumpets - Brugmansia candida 'Grand Marnier'. This is an evergreen shrub with large fragrant soft apricot-yellow pendulous flowers. The flowers are trumpet-shaped, and have the most exquisite perfume that fills the glasshouse. As you pass through into the South African dome, look out for the beautiful climbing Bougainvillea. This plant originates from tropical and subtropical South America, but many will recognise it from holidays in the Mediterranean, and other warm areas of the World.

Of special interest this month...Don't leave the Gardens without wandering down the pathways towards the Thompson Road entrance to see some of the new plantings, and particularly to see the Prairie planting. This is a trail area of North American prairie plants, the seed being set in February 2004 in deep sand. There are various species of Asters, Echinacea, Monarda, Solidago and Rudbeckias. Also in the borders along the walkways, you may see the delightful blooms of the Japanese anemones - Anemone x hybrida.
There are many cultivars of this plant including the beautiful ubiquitous white blooms of 'Honorine Jobert'. The best selection of pinks are 'Koenigin Charlotte' syn. 'Queen Charlotte' and 'September Charm'.