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Photinia X fraseri
Photinia x fraseri is an evergreen shrub or small tree that can grow up to around 20 feet in height, and about the same in width. In late spring it produces broad clusters of showy, small but very numerous pinkish-white flowers, each about half-an-inch across.
It is much valued for its colourful leaves, which appear after the flowers, are a beautiful bright red when young and often used by flower-arrangers. These darken to a glossy dark green as they become mature but if you cut them back, new red growth will appear.
Easy to care for, it is hardy down to around -5°C, but ought to be kept in a sheltered spot if your garden is in an area prone to frosty weather. It prefers full sun or partial shade to do really well and likes any moist, well-drained soil.
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Lysimachia punctata
Lysimachia punctata is an elegant herbaceous perennial with tall stems that can grow up to five feet tall. The stems have bright yellow flowers that appear in clumps at regular intervals down their length.
It’s very hardy and can be planted at any time of the year, and flowers from late spring right through to the autumn. It prefers damp soil and so is often used at the edges of ponds. It thrives in full sun or partial shade, and is ideal for gardens with salty sea air.
However, it is an extremely vigorous and invasive plant, that can be difficult to control and can soon spread all over your garden - and if you’re not careful, the surrounding gardens as well. The best way to keep it in check is to plant it in pots to contain its roots. Whether you plant it in pots or in the ground, you might need to support its flower-spikes.
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Betula pendula (Silver Birch)
The silver birch is a lovely elegant tree, native to Northern Europe, that can grow to as much as 60 feet in height. Although it’s fast-growing, it’s not particularly long-lived and usually only lives for around 60-100 years. Despite its size when mature, its airy structure means it does not shade out too much of the garden.
Its bark is smooth, silvery-white and very shiny, although at the base of the tree it can be black and fissured. This bark is waterproof and commercial trees are often used in tanning, while the wood and bark together can be distilled to produce birch tar, which is used to make leather waterproof. In spring it bears yellowish catkins. It has saw-edged, diamond-shaped leaves that flutter attractively in the wind and turn yellow in autumn. Young leaves are sometimes used as a diuretic.
It tolerates a wide range of habitats and tolerates moist soil and wet conditions, but will do best in a spot where it will get full sun, along with dry sandy soil. It has a shallow root system, so needs watering in times of drought.
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