Autumn has been setting into the gardens, bringing with it beautiful changes to Tremenheere’s subtropical planting and the arrival of seasonal fruits and flowers. Take a look at just some of our favourite planting picks from inside the sculpture gardens this month.
Idesia polycarpa, The Wonder Tree
Idesia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Salicaceae (formerly placed in the family Flacourtiaceae), comprising the single species Idesia polycarpa. It is native to eastern Asia in China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.
This beautiful medium-sized tree bears ripening orange to dark purple-red fruits that often last until Spring. It can be found on the right along the wooded walk at the bottom of the gardens.
Beaufortia sparsa
Beaufortia sparsa, commonly known as swamp bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is native to the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub with round, dished leaves crowded on the younger stems, and bright red flower spikes in the warmer months.
Flowers are produced from January to April and from September to November and are followed by fruits which are woody capsules which are retained on the stems indefinitely.[2][3][4]
Impatiens balansae
A rarely available species with stunning purple coloured leaves and bright orange flowers when in bloom. This perennial thrives in the shade and has beautiful metallic purple undersides to its foliage. The blooms on Impatiens balansae are bright shades of orange and yellow with a red speckled throat.
Desfontainia spinosa
Commonly known as Chilian Holly. This plant is particularly festive looking with it’s red tubular flowers tipped yellow hanging amidst glossy green, holly-like leaves from midsummer to late autumn
Schefflera macrophylla
One of the leaders in the exotic plant world, this large-leaved evergreen shrub or even small tree, hails from Southern Yunnan and N. Vietnam and grows at up to 2600m altitude.
Though it’s not fully hardy in the UK, it thrives at Tremenheere being best suited to milder urban or coastal areas with protection from wind. Some of its umbrella-like leaves are being touched by shades of Autumn.
Ensete ventricosum Maurelii
A popular banana plant for tropical style gardeners. Enormous deep-red leaves are produced throughout the warmer summer and autumn months.
We’ve enjoyed planting Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’ in the gardens where it quickly reaches magnificent heights and attracts comments from visitors.
The gardens are open daily, 10.30 – 4.30, last entry 3.30, until the last day of the season on 10th November when the gardens will close for a winter break and will reopen on 15th February. Pre-book garden tickets here.