MAPLE magic

The foliage is fabulous - and the various colours, shapes and sizes of these trees will suit any part of your garden!

1 ROCK LEGEND!

If you have a rock garden, or a few boulders, they could do with a little soft drapery. The Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) comes in multiple forms - here, the Dissectum variety Ao Shidare' does the trick.

2 PLAY WITH THE LIGHT

There are so many leaf shapes and shades with maples that when you let them mingle you can create light and colour without flowers. Try bleached A. palmatum 'Wallies' against the deep maroon 'Shaina' and limey 'Hanama Nishiki' for drama!

3 ROMANCE IS BORN

The willow shaped A. palmatum “Kinshi' stands comfortably in its Japanese-style garden, but imagine it in your yard as you enjoy a picnic under its soft canopy. So dreamy!

4 CULTURE COMFORT

If you want to make your maple feel at home, include traditional Japanese garden ornaments, such as a stone lantern or the suikinkutsu, which produces 'music' as water drips through a hole.

5 BLAZE FROM SPRING TO AUTUMN

A classic maple - and one of the most beautiful - is 'Emperor'. Its leaves emerge in spring as deep purple-red, then turn a vibrant crimson-red in autumn

6 FROM LITTLE THINGS...

Maples grow well in pots, such as this 'Filigree', which grows to about 1.5m high. If you have room, you can add contrasting foliage with the taller 'Hilleri', 'Bronze', 'Red Select' or 'Orangeola'.