Spring interest - the more unusual

Cornus mas otherwise known as the Cornelian Cherry is a wonderful small tree that has pointed green leaves during the growing season and has masses of yellow flowers in the spring and red fruits in the autumn.  Excellent on limey soils.......  Click below to enter the scrubs forum and share your views..

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Cedrela sinensis Flamingo is a fantastic, slow-growing tree with amazingly intense pink new growth during the spring.  Always avoid early morning sun, west is best for the tree.

Acacia dealbata also called Mimosa or Silver Wattle.  This has an ultimate height of 25-ish feet and is one of the tougher Acacia's
to consider.  It has masses of yellow flowers in spring.  A sunny situation and good drainage is essential.

Prunus incisa Ko Jo No Mai with its other name of Flight of the Butterflies with its curiously twisted stems, and amazing apple blossom like flowers in Spring.  Good drainage and sunlight is important to this compact shrub to do well.

Larix decidua Pendula, Puli, Corley, Little Bogle etc are examples of Dwarf Larch which are deciduous conifers, that have wonderful reddish pink cone shaped flowers in the spring followed by a fresh limey green needles arranged in clusters.  Not good on shallow dry chalk.

Corylopsis spicata and Corylopsis pauciflora are both related to Witch Hazel with their masses of yellow flowers in the Spring.  They enjoy a deciduous woodland floor environment in neutral to acid soil and ideally away from early morning sun.

Daphne bholua Jacqueline Postill is upright in habit and has fantastically fragrant pink flowers at this time of year and it holds most of its leaves in the winter.  Performs well in semishade.  Remember all Daphnes are poisonous.

Corylus avellana Twister is a new form of twisted hazel with a more compact habit and still proffering yellow catkins in late winter.

Edgworthia chrysantha eventually reaching for foot or so and flowers in March and April on bare stems with clusters of white and yellow flowers.  A fantastic standalone shrub in a sheltered part of the garden.

Abeliophyllum distichum is also known as the White Forsythia and there is also Abeliophyllum distichum Roseum which has pink flowers.  These are better grown against a sunny wall, doing best or neutral to acid soils.  These have fantastic flowers on bare stems.

Akebia quinata Amethyst is a beautiful, rosy purple flowered, semi evergreen climber suitable for a shady wall of fence and there are other varieties of Akebia to consider.

Clematis armandii Apple Blossom is a wonderful evergreen clematis with large leathery leaves and white, pink tinted, vanilla scented flowers in spring.  There are several other armandii types to consider.

Chaenomeles speciosa Contorta is a curious, twisted flowering quince with orangy pink flowers on bare, haphazard stems at this time of year.  Remember this is related to Roses so it needs to go into a nice clean area away form the root systems of other Rosaceous plants, such as apple trees and Hawthorn hedges.  

Ulmus glabra Camperdownii is an attractive weeping tree with zigzag stems and it has a wonderful yellow autumn colour and it yellow flowers are borne in late winter.  Try and purchase one with a tall trunk as they are top grafted and the top can weep all the way to ground level, making this a real centerpiece.  A good tree for exposed positions.