As observed during October 2008
1/10/2008
An unusual bedder
Salvia confertiflora is a woody perennial with ridged angular stems. The leaves, soft and felt-like to the touch, are held opposite on the stem. This native of Brazil is very happy in the semi tender border to the south of the front range.
The flowers are carried on a long straight inflorescence, opening from the base. These are an unusual shade of orange and relatively small. This is a spectacular specimen to prolong the flowering season well into autumn.
The plants are easily propagated from softwood cuttings and planted out in early summer when frost danger is past. This is an ideal plant to add height to bedding Growing to one meter and with a revolting pungent smell when the stem or leaves are bruised.
3/10/08
The smell of candyfloss
The autumn colours are developing in the Garden with an increasing presence. One of the regular performers is Cercidiphyllum japonicum, a multi-branched small tree native to China and Japan.
Several collections have been made in Japan of seed from this species that are now successfully established in our four Gardens. Collected from relatively low altitudes 100 - 220m, it is found growing within mixed deciduous forest, occasionally growing in volcanic silt near a stream.
With age, the bark fissures and roughens. The branch framework takes on a horizontal silhouette; the shoots are thin and delicate. Leaves turn yellow and occasionally red. The most magical part of this process is the overwhelming smell of candyfloss which lingers heavily in the air.
This is the result of the decay process within the deciduous foliage and can also be detected during spring when a late frost catches the unfurled young leaves and a process of decomposition begins on frost damaged foliage.
7/10/08
A giant white Michaelmas daisy
Aster glehni var. glehni was collected in Japan in 2003 on the EJE expedition. This is a giant among the Asters, the very same genus that collects up all the well-known, traditionally recognised Michaelmas Daisies, ranging from red to purple. 
Collection notes listed this plant as found in Hokkaido amongst mixed forest where the dominant trees are Betula platyphylla and Picea jezoensis, and growing to 0.9m in height.
In the Garden at Edinburgh, where it is on the edge of a bed with tree canopy cover, it reaches in excess of 2m in height. The single stem shoots up to around 1.4m, dividing into flowering shoots at this stage. Grouped together en mass, the splash of white is a tremendous sight.
As the flowers fade, the seed capsules form. These are wind-borne and the typical composite form. This is a strong-growing plant with vigorous rhizomes, so plant with care in your garden.
10/10/08
Amaryllis belladonna
A fine flowering bulb from Temperate South Africa.
The purple shaded flower stalk grows rapidly to 0.5m from established bulbs. These prefer a well drained situation where a good baking in the sun is possible. In their native South Africa following a wild fire flowering is prolific.
The strap shaped leaves appear after flowering giving energy to the bulb. These detest disturbance so plant for a purpose and don't allow encroaching vegetation to weaken the established bulbs. Although the rosy pink flowers are short lived this is a plant well worth establishing in the garden.
14/10/2008
An ornamental apple
From Central Asia and the Himalayas Malus pumila is a diverse species; the domestic or sweet apple as it is known or paradise apple in France. Full of weak growth it has a spread of 5 metres and as tall. The bark is grey, splitting and plating away. The fruit are a golden yellow; not too plentiful.
Malus pumila ‘Dartmouth' is an American cultivar producing larger fruit than the species and red tinted. The fruit is ideal for crab apple jelly. Stronger growing than M. pumila, and much more prolific in fruit production. In the spring both also producing a crop of white flowers.
17/10/2008
Fiery red autumn colour
Mid October traditionally sees the start of the autumn colour. Until now a few trees have turned, notably Aesculus and Betula providing the traditional sound of walking and kicking through the deciduous leaf carpet. From now on the colours will intensify especially with lower temperatures. After a frosty night as the temperature rises with the onset of daylight the abscission layer breaks and there is literally a storm of falling leaves.
Treat each as a transient work of art and appreciate the daily changes.
This Japanese Euonymus sieboldianus positioned in an elevated focal point is always a good starter for the kaleidoscope of the season's colours. Now a mass of red pigment the ovate leaves drop rapidly.
Found growing in association with Sasa, Viburnum, other species of Euonymus and Ulmus in Japan in full sun in moist heavy loam within a north east facing valley bottom.
21/10/2008
Natural shading
Celastrus orbiculatus, again from Japan, but found throughout N.E.Asia. This climbing deciduous member of the family Celastraceae can be seen twisting around the external glasshouse support frame, providing the south facing aspect of the Front Range with a natural shading material.
In full autumn yellow it has found the ideal situation to develop.
The plant is sparsely furnished with small light orange fruit within which is a bright orange mesocarp layer protecting the seed. Thought to be dioecious there are hermaphrodite plants in cultivation.
The Edinburgh Japan Expedition of 2003 found it growing in secondary deciduous woodland on the forest margin at 80metres. It was reaching 5 metres in height. Here it has far exceeded that and continues to romp up the framework. There are young plants in the nursery of Celastrus orbiculatus var. strigulosus showing the same promise of autumn colour.
29/10/2008
The Indian Pokeweed
Phytolacca acinosa has thick, almost succulent stems. It grows strongly to 1.8 metres with lanceolate leaves. A mass of growth that wilts to mush when the frost arrives.
Until then appreciate the church candle like fruiting spikes. These vary from golf ball size to 3000mm spikes and are composed of red to ripened black fruits, bursting with a red staining juice. The individual berry encloses a small black seed.
Our plant was collected as seed in the Himachal Pradesh India in 1985. Found growing at 2400m among rocks in a clearing of Rhododendron and Pinus forest.
As observed during October 2007
2/10/07
The flora of temperate South Africa provides a colourful lead into autumn. Bulbous perennials growing in the bank at the ramp to the arid land house include Amaryllis belladona shy to flower sending up singular spikes on a darkened stem.
Nerine bowdenii, pink petals open from a tubular bud to recurve back on themselves revealing the flower parts. These have a slight scent but the ability to smell anything other than the overpowering odour eminating from every part of Tulbaghia violaceae masks this and other scents in this area. The only one of the three with foliage at this time of the year.
5/10/07
Clematis 'Bill MacKenzie', growing on the wall at the alpine house, a hybrid in the Tangutica group received the RHS Award of garden merit in 1976 and reconfirmed in 2001. Looking at the fresh yellow flowers produced freely over the plant and followed by silvery seed heads it is easy to appreciate this merit. The four petals resemble orange peel in their feel and thickness. It was named in honour of William Gregor MacKenzie, VMH, (1904-95), a former DHE student at the Botanics and later Curator of Chelsea Physic Garden from 1946-73.
The seedling originated at the Waterperry School of Horticulture, Oxfordshire in 1968 and was introduced to the nursery trade from there. Our plant was donated in 1976 by Bill MacKenzie himself.
Another Clematis, this time wild collected, C. grata is awash with miniature white petalled and multi anthered flowers with a musty scent on the Chinese hillside. A rampant climber it grips support with the leaf petioles turning anti clockwise around the host support. Collected on the Edinburgh Taiwan Expedition of 1993. Native to the Himalayas and western China.
10/10/07
The autumn colours on the deciduous tree canopy are now reaching their best. The yellows of the Betula and Hamamelis collections, reds of the Sorbus and Euonymus species are all evident in the Parrotia persica whose canopy colour ranges from yellow through orange to an intense red.
Walking past the Cercidiphyllum japonicum and C. magnificum growing in various locations throughout the garden the sweet smell of decay is evident, this emanates from the rotting leaf litter around the base of the plant.
However in amongst these giants is a herbaceous treasure which colours up to rival any of the woody specimens; Euphorbia jolkinii collected during 1996 in Yunnan, China by Derek Beavis and John Main. The stems deepen to a vibrant red with leaf colour to match. Growing in the border at the alpine wall and near the ting on the Chinese hillside.
12/10/07
A favourite of the curator.
Acer distylum, native to Japan from where it was introduced in 1879. Rare in cultivation but seen in the wild where it has been appreciated by David Knott. The keys are brown and unattractive but autumn leaf colour is worth seeing. Planted on the s.w. corner of the oak lawn the leaves on this small tree gradually yellow on the tree, once fallen the leaves form a golden brown carpet.
On the Azalea lawn is Sorbus commixta one of the Eastern Asian species; a broad headed multi branched tree. Just now the autumn colour on this tree is unsurpassed in the garden; covered in deep burning reds it draws the eyes towards it.
16/10/07
Parthenocissus quinquifolia is showing full autumn colour in the generally five sectioned leaf. Growing enthusiastically over the wash house to the east of Inverleith House it clings in position by adhesive pads on the ends of the tendrils. These are able to adhere to all surfaces taking it towards the light at the rate of approximately four metres a season. A native to E.N.America from where it was introduced into cultivation in 1629. Now naturalised on waste land and as a garden escape throughout Britain.
Two Vitis from different continents are worth walking to the quadrangle at the north of the front range to see. Vitis davidii, China, the large leaves with barbed petioles are turning deep scarlet. V. bierlandieri from Mexico and the adjacent United States; at the moment the trifoliate leaves are fully green, watch for their potential.
23/10/07
The smell from the flower spike of Eucomis bicolor is reminiscent of the old town gas; slightly putrid. Growing to the north of the arid land house. However the flower spike itself is worth growing the plant for, dark purple mottling gives it a camouflaged appearance. The flowers are borne in a cylindrical inflorescence around the top of the spike. Individually these are creamy white with violet edges, inside the filaments are also a light violet colour and interestingly, triangular in shape. All crowned by a flat cap of light green bracts. Native to S.E. Africa.
25/10/07
In full bloom the Chilean Bell Flower, Chile's national flower, Lapageria rosea, is a stunning visual treat. Native to evergreen forests in Chile and Argentina where it climbs through the tree canopy here it experiences a cool moist root run and dappled sun on the foliage, replicate this for successful cultivation.
There are two plants growing to a height of two metres in the shade of the patio to the north of the front range. From the size and weight of the individual blooms it is astonishing the apparently weak straggly growth can bear such flowers. These are composed of six red fleshy petals splayed out in a bell shape. The inner of which is mottled white. The filaments are white but the style takes on the mottled colour of the inner bell.
On the west coast by contrast it reaches and flowers to approximately seven metres through a Pinus leucodermis in the shelter of the walled garden of Achamore house on Gigha.
The image shows Isik Guner a botanical artist on a Darwin Initiative exchange from the Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi, Istanbul, Turkey engaged in illustrating the plant for Martin Gardner.
29/10/07
The Dawn Redwood; living up to its name this morning. View Metasequoia glyptostroboides as the sun is rising and casting rays on the autumnal tints of pink and yellow throughout the canopy. It stood out amongst the colder greens of the associated plants in the border to the west of the Caledonian Hall giving a red hue to the plant.
Thought to be extinct it was known from fossil records and subsequently living plants were discovered in 1941. Native to C. and W. China where it grows on valley floors and at the bottom of ravines, rare on the valley floors due to clearances for rice cultivation.
The seed of this tree was collected in autumn 1947 in N.E. Sichuan Province by C.J. Hsueh. During three expeditions 100 trees were noted, the seed was taken from trees 30metres tall. These arrived at RBGE in 1948 via the Arnold Arboretum. The branches are set into deep sockets in the trunk which is colonised by moss and a grey farinose hue. The trunk becomes almost buttressed at the base and fissured.
Another Redwood introduction from this year (1948) is planted to the south of the pond, this foliage has turned fully autumnal and much of the leaf has fallen. Garden origin accessions from 1991 planted in the east gate driveway are still green.
Note also the Wisteria sp. in the garden on the wall of the east gate lodge these are a mass of margarine yellow foliage.
31/10/07
A ghostly apparition for Halloween. Growing to the north of the access steps to the front range patio is Corokia cotoneaster a native to New Zealand. The mass planting is full of thin angular shoots, the youngest of which are coated in a grey indumentum. The older wood takes on a dark almost black colour and adds to the tangled internal mass, two meters tall and as broad. The evergreen leaves are rounded, green above with a white reverse.
Dotted through are the orange to red one seeded berries, looking like miniature apples ready for dooking.