Red maple. Photo credit: inoc on Flickr.
I’ve been having all kinds of fantasies lately. No, not THAT kind. The kind that comes from being a gardener raising a toddler in a tiny urban apartment. That’s right, I’m dreaming about land.
My fantasies are very specific, very romantic, and very far-fetched. In my fantasy, I have a big white farmhouse with a wraparound porch bounded by fields of wheat, a small but productive orchard, and, further out, forest. With all that space, I’ve got lots of room for chickens, and goats, and of course, a huge vegetable garden. But when it comes down to it, I’ve got room for trees.
I grew up in a rural, forested area. Our yard was choc-a-block with trees: Douglas-fir, cedar, hemlock. And a huge big-leaf maple that dumped mountains of burnt umber leaves every autumn. I miss that. Don’t get me wrong; I love my Japanese maples. They’re very pretty. Very clean. And very urban. But I yearn for real trees. Big, sprawling, messy trees — the kind you need a lot of space for.
So, in my daydreams, I construct my fantasy tree list. Trees I would grow if I had unlimited space. They are:
Red maple (Acer rubrum). Simply for that brilliant red. We don’t get that eastern show-stopping fall colour in our deciduous trees here in the Pacific Northwest, but these trees provide it without fail. Its fallen leaves ook like scraps of red and white paper to me, all scattered around in perfect disarray.
Katsura leaves. Photo credit: Schnittke on Flickr.
Katsura (Cercidiphyllum). What’s not to love about this tree? It has a nice, rounded form and heart-shaped leaves that blaze orange-red in fall. To top it off, fallen katsura leaves perfume the air with a lovely burnt-sugar scent: like the crust of a of creme brulee!
White birch grove. Photo credit: Nakae on Flickr.
White birch (Betula papyrifera). Actually, a grove of white birch. For the white bark, obviously. These aren’t commonly grown around here, but the interior of our province has many, and they remind me of holidays spent at my grandparent’s ranch in the Kootenays.
Sycamore. Photo credit: Dakota O on Flickr.
Sycamore (plane tree) (Platanus occidentalis). I have no first-hand experience with these trees, however, I love their rounded shape, the mottled bark, and their fantastic seedpods.
What are your favourite fantasy trees?
meemsnyc says
Oooh, love the look of maple trees and birch. Gorgeous.
Zoe says
I love the ones you’ve listed, though I’m not familiar with katsura. My fantasy tree is black locust… It is native to my area on the east coast, and has fragrant white flowers that bees love. It has a dark, twisted, towering habit. I hope to plant a grove of them when I move to the country someday.
gina says
giant sequoia, coast redwood, and Horse-chestnut trees! (of course big leaf maple trees too!) i only have a quarter acre though… darn. ;) i’m glad someone else dreams of having lots of big trees!
Georgia says
If I had a very large yard, I would plant ginkgo, tulip tree, sweetgum, dawn redwood, and horsechestnut.
Georgia says
p.s. I think the pods in your last photograph are sweetgum fruits.
Linus says
I love this story and miss your childhood yard now.
Megan says
Maple – I agree!! So beautiful. I’d also love to have a cherry tree, but the Alberta prairies climate does not cooperate with those.
I have a love for paper birch. I grew up in the woodlands area of Alberta and one of my favorite things to do when I was little was to peel off the layers of paper (although now I realize this was probably not the best thing for the trees).
Kevin says
Great list! I grew up surrounded by walls of dark cedars in N. Van and now am all about the deciduous. Love the katsura in particular… I am keeping one in a container on the deck. Probably this is mistreating it but it is such a great tree. I will one day soon have to set it free somewhere as it will outgrow our little East Van yard.
Andrea Bellamy says
Meemsnyc – Aren’t they gorgeous? Love them.
Zoe – I just googled black locust and realized that I’ve seen one before – the ‘Aurea’ cultivar with golden chartreuse leaves. Love it!
Gina – I love horse chestnut trees too! My neighbour had one when I was a kid – there’s so much you can do with their pods!
Georgia – oo! Love that list. You’re probably right about the sweetgum (that’s what you get when you source photos from Flickr!) – I changed the photo.
Linus – :)
Megan – I have a whole ‘nother list of edible trees I’d plant, and cherry is near the top! So pretty. (I also used to peel the bark off birches to make “paper”)
Kevin – Thanks! What is it about being surrounded by evergreens that makes you want to plant the exact opposite? I wonder if easterners dream of planting conifers!
Dirty Girl Gardening says
Land fantasies are the best kind!
phyte club katie says
I totally hear you on the land fantasies. Mine involves lots of native California oaks, the kind that are gnarled with lots of good “v’s” for easy climbing, that stud the dry yellow hills of Sonoma county. And probably some redwoods and sinuous burgundy madrones as well.