Outdoor Plants

Acer palmatum is one of the most sought-after ornamental trees in cultivation, and with good reason. Its deeply lobed, palmate leaves, elegant branching structure, and extraordinary autumn colour make it a focal point in any garden, from a large open border to a single container on a sheltered terrace. Growing it well, however, requires an […]

Working out what to plant with Acer trees is one of the more satisfying puzzles in garden design, because a well-placed Japanese maple is really only half of a picture. The other half is everything planted around its feet and beneath its canopy. An Acer palmatum grown in isolation on a bare patch of lawn

Propagating an Acer tree is one of the most rewarding projects an ornamental gardener can take on. A single parent tree can become the starting point for dozens of new trees, whether it is a prized Japanese maple cultivar or a seed-grown field maple. I have taken cuttings from my own Bloodgood Japanese maple more

Few plants reward so little effort with so much beauty as the weeping acer. Acer palmatum var. dissectum, commonly known as the cutleaf, laceleaf, or weeping Japanese maple, forms a low, cascading mound of finely dissected, feathery foliage. It turns the front of a border or the corner of a patio into a genuine focal

Choosing the right tree for a small garden is one of the most important decisions a gardener can make. Unlike a perennial or a shrub, a tree is a decades-long commitment. It will define the shape, light levels, and character of the space for years to come. Acers, commonly known as maples, are consistently among

The most common question gardeners ask when they see an acer tree standing bare and leafless in winter is whether something has gone wrong. The answer, in the vast majority of cases, is no. Most acer trees are deciduous. They lose their leaves every autumn as part of a perfectly natural annual cycle, stand bare

Acer trees have a reputation for being delicate, and in one very specific way, that reputation is fair: their finely divided leaves and soft new spring growth are genuinely fragile. But the tree itself, the woody structure that survives underneath, is a different story entirely. Most Acer species, including the Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) that

Pruning an Acer is one of the few garden jobs where doing it at the wrong time of year causes more damage than doing nothing at all. Acers, which include Japanese maples (Acer palmatum), field maple, Norway maple, and the many ornamental cultivars grown for their foliage and shape, are known among gardeners as “bleeders”.

An Acer tree not growing is one of the more confusing problems a gardener can face, because unlike browning or dropping leaves, a lack of growth often comes with no dramatic symptoms at all. The tree simply sits there, season after season, the same height it was last year, while everything else in the garden

Growing an Acer tree in a pot is one of the most rewarding ways to enjoy these stunning ornamental trees, especially in smaller UK gardens, on patios, or in courtyards where there is no open border to plant into. Acers, more commonly known as Japanese maples, are naturally well suited to container life. In the