Milan Havlis - gardening

Engler abelia is quite a different looking shrub compared to other abelias. There are several differences: it is deciduous, it has larger flowers and is very hardy. The funnel-shaped flowers are wider, about 2 cm long, solid pink on the outside and light pink inside with a conspicuous gol ...

Trident maple is an attractive medium-sized tree with unusual leaves. They are three-lobed and their size, depth of lobing as well as autumn colour may vary greatly with location, The deciduous leaves are deep green and glossy, turning yellow, orange and bright red in autumn. They change c ...

Nanum is a dwarf variety of hedge maple, suitable for small gardens and town avenues with limited space. It grows slowly into a small tree some 2.5m tall and wide. The leaves are deep green, with 3-5 rounded lobes, turning yellow in autumn. The crown is naturally rounded and ...

Among maples that do not belong to the Japanese group you can also find jewels that offer something a little more extraordinary than the common species. Aureum variety of Cappadocian maple is one example. This mid-sized tree from Asia has interesting palmate leaves with 5 or ...

Even among a hundred trees you will notice this one first. Such a colourful small tree must have been brought direct from Mars! Moreover, it is so unique and special that the botanists cannot decide whether to list as acer conspicuum or acer rubescens. Red Flamingo is a stunning var ...

Aconitifolium is a perfect example of a tree of a highly ornamental value. Its leaves stole the beauty from snowflakes, they are bright green and turn to vivid yellow, orange and pinky-red in the autumn. It is a slow grower so do not expect more than some 3-4 m in limited garden space. It requires s ...

Shapes and colours - these are the main attributes of maples, not only the Japanese ones, which grow quite slowly. Compared to them, boxelder is a racer: it can make branches of 1 meter within one season. And to be honest, not always in the direction you want to see so the easy thing is to pr ...

Shapes and colours – these are the man attributes of maples, not only the Japanese ones, which grow quite slowly. Compared to them, this one is a racer: it can make branches of 1 meter within one season. And to be honest, not always in the direction you want to see so the easy thing is to prun ...

The species of Japanese maple is a green-leaved tree or rather a large shrub. End even though among landscapers and general green-finger-public the red-leaved versions tend to be more popular I suppose this is the most beautiful and elegant tree of our climate. With its naturally green leaves it pla ...

Atropurpureum is a famous and commonly used variety with deeply lobed, red-purple leaves that turn bright red and orange in autumn. They have 5 tips. It forms a multi-stemmed shrub with widely spread branches. It grows slowly and is suitable as a specimen in any garden, not just a Japa ...

Beni Maiko is a fantastic variety of Japanese maple with brilliant red new foliage. Its Japanese name means a red-haired dancing girl. The deciduous leaves are not large, only about 5 cm across, but their emerging colour in the spring is striking and is even more enhanced when n ...

This Japanese maple is an item for collectors. It was first delivered from Japan in 1967 and offer multicoloured leaves. They are deeply lobed, mid green with creamy white, slightly serrated margins that turn pink. It resembles another variety called Butterfly but has larger leaves and smalle ...

Bloodgood is an extremely commercially successful variety with deep burgundy leaves. They have 7 lobes and hold the colour reliably. The leaves turn bright scarlet red in the autumn. The bark is blackish-red. It forms a small tree or a large shrub with compact, rounded crown with p ...

Butterfly is a variety with 3-coloured foliage. Its deeply cut, palmate leaves are pale green with creamy white margins that turn pink when they emerge and when the weather turns colder. It grows into a V-shaped shrub with dense foliage, especially at the tops of the branches. It g ...

“Dissectum Garnet” is one of the top selling Japanese maples ever. It has been popular around the world for many decades. Its filigree leaves are deeply cut = dissected, hence its name. They look like giant snowflakes cut in pieces and densely cover even young plants. The colour s ...

Dissectum Viridis has deeply cut leaves with 7 or 9 lobes, light green. To maintain its colour we recommend growing it in location with filtered sunlight or semi-shade as the leaves may show signs of sunburn in hot sun, or even change its colour. The growth form is strongly cascadi ...

The less usual colour the more attractive it is for garden lovers. Orange Dream is a perfect example of Japanese maple to offer an almost exotic colour of spring foliage that is orange and salmon pink at margins with yellowish-green centres. This colouring decorates the plant un ...

Ornatum is a cut-leaf Japanese maple, cultivated mainly for its deeply lobed leaves of rich reddish brown, almost bronze colour in summer, and bright orange with red tones in autumn. The sgrub grows very slowly, forming a dense, mushroom-head crown. Japanese maples prefer aci ...

Among Japanese maples next to dissectum group there is another group called linearilobum, which consists of plants with very narrow and long, and sometimes almost thread-like leaves which give the plant almost a bamboo effect. Scolopendrifolium is a variety that be ...

If you google red-leaved Japanese maples I am sure that, amongst the oldest varieties such as Bloodgood and Atropurpureum, you will find this nice piece: Shaina. Unlike the previously mentioned cultivars Shaina is everyone’s love as it offers advantages that come in handy for gar ...

Shindeshojo is a classic variety of Japanese maple that offers exactly what these plants are popular for: bright colours of spring and autumn foliage. Shindeshojo has palmate, 5- or 7-lobed deciduous leaves which emerge fire engine red in spring, turn olive green with pink and w ...

Taylor is a novelty from Dutch nursery town Boskoop. Its leaves are deeply lobed, though it is not a dissectum type. The whole leaf emerges overall soft pink in the spring, turning to light green in the centre. From early summer it gains prominent white margins which contain a certain ...

Sango-kaku is a Japanese maple that has so many colours that we are lost for words. Its main attraction is the colour of bark which is orangey-red in summer and bright coral red in winter. The palmate leaves have 5 lobes and emerge orangey-yellow with salmon pink shades, changin ...

This maple received a name Lion´s Head. Its leaves are small, deeply cut and curled, forming dense tufts along twisted branches. The foliage is bright green or yellow-green in spring and summer, turning orange and rust-red very late in autumn or early winter. In a good year when the weather hits it ...

Shishio is a Japanese maple with surprisingly regular habit. Its branches grow upright in the angle of about 45 degrees forming a compact shrub. It looks great on a stem. The deciduous leaves are palmate, red when young, changing to medium green in summer and red again in autumn ...

It is hard to believe that only a few bare branches, which you can see in winter, can develop into such a stunning thing. Foliage of this shrub almost looks like a fluffy hairdo of a red-haired lady. The leaves are deeply cut and when young they are glossy and brownish-red, in summer they turn to de ...

Dissectum Nigrum has the deepest burgundy leaves which are deeply cut and have silvery hairs when young. The growth is rather irregular – long, drooping branches spread to sides. It does not need much maintenance. It requires slightly acidic, semi-fertile, moist soil to establish extensive roo ...

Tamukeyama is another outstanding red-leaved variety. The shrub has muscular branches with blackish-red, deeply cut leaves in the spring, which turn to deep burgundy, and bright orange or bright cerise in the autumn. They do not droop as much as on other dissectums so the plant has an airy feeling. ...

Crimson King is a majestic looking maple tree for large gardens, parks, and city avenues. Its palmate leaves are dark crimson red, almost black, and glossy, turning orange-red in autumn. In the spring, just as leaves emerge, it flowers profusely with many small yellow flowers, t ...

Crimson Sentry is most certainly a key feature of many mid-sized and small gardens. Its yearly growths are short so it will easily fit even in a front yard. It is an eye-catching variety of Norway maple owing to the foliage. The leaves are bright purple-burgundy when young, ...

Drummondii is a variegated form of Norway maple, only some 100 years old. The decades from its birth proved its popularity which is still very high. The leaves are beautifully creamy white variegated at the margins, with bright green centres. Apart from pruning at the end of ...

Another website I came across calls this Norway maple a meat-ball-on-a-stick. Quite funny, actually, but in fat it truthfully describes the shape of this small tree. Well, that only in case the author meant a good housewife who made proper, perfectly spherical meat balls. Globosum

Have you got a small, really small garden? We have something extraordinary for you. This plant was first introduced in Germany only in 1999. It is a unique dwarf maple, slow-growing but not a Japanese type. So if Japanese maples were ever too much trouble for you and you gave up, try this lit ...

Royal Red is a majestic looking Norway maple for large gardens, parks, and city avenues. Its palmate leaves are dark crimson red, almost black, and glossy, turning orange-red in autumn. In the spring, just as leaves emerge, it flowers profusely with many small yellow flowers, ty ...

Men usually get mad when women describe colours with expressions like salmon pink, peachy red etc. Well, men, get ready for another hit below the belt: we have a tree whose leaves are SHRIMP pink. Not familiar with that colour? Go to the nearest restaurant and have a prawn-cocktail to see what the f ...

Esk Sunset is an extraordinary but at the same time elegant sycamore maple. It is a real chameleon changing a range of colour shades during a short period of time. Its deciduous leaves emerge orange-green to yellow-green in spring, quickly change to creamy-beige marbled dark gre ...

Sycamore trees are our native plants and their various cultivars find their use perhaps in all types and sizes of gardens. If your garden is not very big and you would still like a maple of this kind try this one. It was first introduced at the end of 19th century and has been a sought after ...

Red maple is one of the most spectacular big-sized trees suitable for large gardens, parks or city avenues. It has mid-sized leaves that are green in summer, changing to yellow, orange and predominantly red in autumn. Seedling vary with autumn shades. It grows moderate fast into an almost ...

Red maple is one of the most spectacular big-sized trees suitable for large gardens, parks or city avenues. October Glory is a variety cultivated for its smaller size and fantastic autumn foliage colour. It has mid-sized leaves that are glossy and green in summer, changing to or ...

This silver maple will draw your attention to the deeply cut leaves which resemble Japanese dissectum maples. The name silver describes the underneath of the leaves which are silvery gray and glitter in the wind. In too fertile soil the branches can grow as much as 1 meter within one year ...

“Aureum” is variety that differs from others by its more or less erect growth with horizontal lateral branches. The fan-shaped leaves are fresh yellow-green to golden yellow, sometimes with pinkish margins. The other difference is fruit: Acer shirasawanum holds its samaras above the foli ...

A beautiful hybrid maple between acer saccharinum and acer rubrum was bred in the USA and is called Autumn Blaze®. It has the best of both the parents. Deciduous leaves are deeply lobed, deep green in summer and orange to bright red in autumn. The stalks are re ...

If you like big trees for their leaves but own only a small plot have a look at this dwarf red buckeye. Koehnei is a fantastic variety with attractive both foliage and flowers, and moreover, slow growth. The flowers are upright, conical panicles composed of orange-pink, t ...

Red horse chestnut is a fantastic tree which is usually planted in large gardens and parks, and as a street tree. Although, this hybrid grows a little slower (30 cm a year) making some 6x4m when 20 years old. Briotti is a popular variety with big, upright panicles of deep pin ...

Tree of heaven is a beautiful name for an extraordinary plant. It comes from China but is completely hardy in our climate. It is a tall tree suitable for large garden, parks or as a street tree. It is grown for unusually big leaves that can be half a meter long. The are compound of upto 30 ...

Ernest Wilson is a selection found in Korea in early 1900´s. It grew in a colder zone which predestined it to be ideal for testing in colder climates of the USA as well as Europe later on. Exotic looking flowers are pink, hairy spheres with yellowish centres, 3-5 cm large and with ...

A spectacular new variety of silk tree comes from Japan and is called Summer Chocolate®. It was discovered in 1990 as a seedling in a controlled planting of Albizia julibrissin in 1990. It was patented in the USA under PP 13,822 in 2003. It is considered a rarity for lovers ...

Ombrella® belongs to the hardy group. It was a chance selection from France which was observed and cultivated, and later on patented under the name Boubri. It differs from the species by darker leaves and deeply coloured flowers. Exotic looking flowers are pinky-red, hairy spheres with ...

Juneberry is a large shrub cultivated mostly for its delicious and healthy fruit. It is a large deciduous shrub or a small tree. Flowers are star-shaped, white and scented and appear in mid spring. Oval leaves are up to 8 cm long, emerge bronze and mature to green colour, turning scarlet r ...

Aralia’s bi-pinnate leaves are up to 1 meter long, compound of 3-5 cm long, mid green, ovate leaflets, pale or silvery green on the reverse. The leaves grow horizontally from a single stem (usually), making nearly flat layers of foliage. They fall down early in the season but before the ...

Japanese angelica tree is a must have for those who love tropical looking gardens. Its compound leaves grow up to 1.5m when mature and give this plant an extraordinary, very architectural look. Moreover, this variety has golden-yellow margins or varigation. It has much less thorns than its cl ...

Variegata is an attractive version of angelica tree with creamy-white variegated leaf margins. Its bi-pinnate leaves are up to 1 meter long, compound of 3-5 cm long, ovate leaflets, pale or silvery green on the reverse. The leaves grow horizontally from a single stem (usually ...

Just one simple look at the trunk and short lateral twigs is a perfect give away to understand why it received the name devil’s walking stick. The stem (trunk) as well as the branches and the leaves, too, are covered with both small and larger spines and prickles that no intruder will e ...

Brilliant is one of the latest varieties of purple chokeberry which is a hybrid between red and black chokeberry. So far you can find it listed under three names: a.melanocarpa, a.arbutifolia, and a. x prunifolia which is probably the most correct name. It is cultivated for seve ...

Arneson Gem is a true jewel. Its reddish buds open to soft golden-yellow flowers with apricot orange tips and petal margins. It is fragrant and the leaves are disease resistant. Prolific bloomer. Deciduous azaleas are ericaceous plants, loving insulate position with constantly moist ...

Cannon´s Double is proud of its multi-layered tepals and a great scale of colour within one flower: carmine buds open to salmon pink, orange and creamy beige. What a show! Dark green leaves have bronzy shades. Deciduous azaleas are ericaceous plants, loving insulate position with co ...

Chetco brightens up your garden even in cloudy weather. The flowers are bright yellow, with golden flare and flower buds. Green leaves gain bronze shades during summer and turn bright burgundy red in autumn. Deciduous azaleas are ericaceous plants, loving insulate position with cons ...

Gibraltar is undoubtedly the bestseller among orange varieties as this orange is deep and glowing. It has frilled margins and blooms reliably every year. Bred by Rotschild in 1947, GB. Deciduous azaleas are ericaceous plants, loving insulate position with constantly moist soil. Duri ...

Glowing Embers is my top favourite. It is true to its name: as if you were watching the very centre of fire, the petals are vivid orange with golden flashes. Very fragrant. Mid green leaves have bronze highlight from spring already. Deciduous azaleas are ericaceous plants, loving in ...

Golden Eagle blooms from mid May till early June with vivid, deep orange flowers with a golden throat. Very striking. It has dense foliage turning bronzy red in autumn. Deciduous azaleas are ericaceous plants, loving insulate position with constantly moist soil. During temporary sum ...

Goldtopas is an excellent variety of deciduous azalea with golden yellow flowers. Their colour is like glowing afternoon sun. Flower heads are up to 13 cm large, while individual flowers are 7-9 cm wide. It grows quite compact, forming a shrub 1.1m tall and 1.4m wide when 15 yea ...

“Harvest Moon” is less common, but very beautiful and demanded variety with neon yellow flowers with golden flare. Leaves vary from bright to dark green and bronzy during throughout the season. It forms a wide shrub – about 1.5m. Deciduous azaleas are ericaceous plants, loving ins ...

Homebush forms rounded, almost spherical trusses of bright pink to salmon pink, semi-double flowers in late spring. The truss shape resembles flowering snowball viburnum. The tepals are distinctly pointed. Bred by Waterer in 1925, GB. Deciduous azaleas are ericaceous plants, loving ...

“Jolie Madame” has rather distinct tips of tepals making a star-shape look. Flowers are candy pink with orange-apricot flare and a lovely fragrance. This variety grows about 2m tall and wide. Deciduous azaleas are ericaceous plants, loving insulate position with always moist soil. Durin ...

“Mandarin Lights” comes from the Northern Lights line. This one has bright orange flowers with shades of red and yellow and frilled edges. Excellent hardiness to -35°C. Deciduous azaleas are ericaceous plants, loving insulate position with always moist soil. During temporary summer dry ...

Mary Poppins has magical bi-coloured, funnel shaped flowers of yellow centres and deep coral orange towards the frilled margins. Large trusses are rounded and can bear up to 30 flowers. Leaves turn lovely purple colour in autumn. Disease resistant. Deciduous azaleas are ericaceous ...

Mount St.Helens is a naughty variety, changing its colour by mood. From deep coral orange-red to rich or pale salmon with an apricot blotch on the upper petal. Autumns leaves are bright purple. Deciduous azaleas are ericaceous plants, loving insulate position with constantly moist s ...

Northern Hi-Lights is a slow-grower with creamy white flowers that grade to pale or bright yellow on top petals. Buds are light pink. Leaves are dark green and turn brilliant carmine and burgundy red in autumn. Deciduous azaleas are ericaceous plants, loving insulate position with c ...

If you are looking for red blooms “Red Sunset” is a perfect pick. Its shade has a slight orange tint, flower tepals are gently frilled. Deciduous azaleas are ericaceous plants, loving insulate position with always moist soil. During temporary summer dry spells in certain areas their le ...

“Satan” variety definitely sticks to its name. Large trusses of rich red funnel shaped flowers appear in mid May. This shrub is slightly larger than others, growing 2m tall and wide. Deciduous azaleas are ericaceous plants, loving insulate position with always moist soil. During tempor ...

This is original, non-hybridized species of Turkey origin. Its heavily scented flowers are lemon to bright yellow with narrower tepals. They open fully into a shape of a star. Grows medium fast to 3m tall and wide. Deciduous azaleas are ericaceous plants, loving insulate position with constantly ...