Acers make beautiful focal points
Japanese maples are the créme de la créme of every garden.
They are compact, dense shrubs or majestic looking small trees. Every garden can have one and they make an excellent focal point in the garden, particularly in autumn when their leaves turn shades of red, crimson, orange or yellow.
Japanese maple
The beautiful, dark red leaves of the Japanese maple or Acer, also known as Acer Palmatum Dissectum Garnetis is very striking in any garden. The fabulous colourful foliage of this hardy ornamental shrub looks wonderful on the patio or decking. As it grows slowly, it is the perfect tree for small gardens and can even be planted in a spacious pot or tub.
The colour show begins with vibrant red in the spring, turning crimson red in early summer and deep burgundy in late summer, finishing up with vivid reddish-purple in the autumn. If you have a sheltered position in your garden or patio, this is a must.
Firecracker
The name says it all. This grows as a compact tree or small mounding shrub. When fully grown, it will reach a height of up to four metres and a width of four metres. It typically takes between ten to twenty years to reach its full growth potential. Once established, Acer Firecracker, known for its longevity, can easily live over 100 years with proper care. The deciduous Japanese Maple Firecracker features palmate, finely cut, deeply lobed foliage that emerges in the spring in shades of purple and red. Over the summer months, the leaves maintain their unusual reddish-purple colour. During the autumn, Acer Palmatum Firecracker puts on an outstanding colour show as its feathery foliage turns to brilliant hues of orange and red.
Bloodgood
Regarded as one of the best purple-leaved Japanese maples, award-winning Acer Palmatum Bloodgood is a large deciduous shrub or small rounded tree of great beauty in all seasons. It has a wonderful rich purple colour through spring and summer. Then the foliage turns a bright crimson, or blood red in autumn, giving this maple its name. Give this acer space to be a feature in your garden or on your patio.
Acer Bihou
This is a fantastic form of the Japanese maple that will shine out in the garden all year round. It is perfect in a patio planter or in the garden. The bark of this variety is a strong vibrant colour, that will make this plant standout in your garden even in the winter months. This would make a perfect backdrop to a water feature in your garden, creating the perfect zen in your life.
If you would like advice and tips on designing your garden, email photos of your garden or patio to info@griffinsgardencentre.ie and we would love to help design your garden.